Team USA takes centre stage on Friday evening as the 2026 World Cup's third opening ceremony unfolds at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, featuring pop star Katy Perry. The USMNT faces Paraguay in their tournament opener, a moment of reckoning for American soccer on home soil amid visa concerns, soaring ticket prices, and competing sports dominating the conversation. Follow our blog to learn more.
Expected lineups for USA-Paraguay: USA: Freese - Ream, Robinson, Richards, Dest, Freeman - McKennie, Adams, Tillman - Pulisic, Balogun Paraguay: Gill - Gomez, Alonso, Alderete, Caceres - Cubas, Bobadilla, Gomez - Caballero, Sanabria, Almiron
For the first time since 1994, the United States hosts the World Cup. On Friday at 9:30pm ET, Team USA takes on Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for their Group D opener. The USMNT and Paraguay have faced each other three times in competitive matches, with the US holding a 2-1 record. Their most recent encounter came during World Cup qualifying in 2021, when the Americans won 3-0 in Columbus. Paraguay, ranked 69th in the world, will be looking to pull off an upset on American soil. The US enters the tournament with growing momentum, having won their last four friendlies and boasting a squad that blends experienced European-based talent with emerging MLS stars. Coach Gregg Berhalter has overseen a team seeking to prove that American soccer belongs on the world stage. Over 70,000 supporters are expected to fill SoFi Stadium for what promises to be a charged atmosphere – a test of whether US.soccer can capture the nation's imagination. The match will be preceded by a 15-minute opening ceremony featuring American pop icon Katy Perry and performances celebrating the host nation's diversity and soccer culture.(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
