USA vs Paraguay: 2026 World Cup opener in Los Angeles, Trump may attend

WHO: USA vs Paraguay
WHAT: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group D
WHERE: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, California
WHEN: Friday, 6:00 p.m. local time (1:00 a.m. GMT Saturday)
HOW TO FOLLOW: Live text commentary on Al Jazeera Sport from 10:00 p.m. GMT.

For the first time in more than three decades, the US men's national team will play a World Cup on home soil, starting with a familiar opponent in Paraguay. With tens of thousands of fans in the stands and millions watching on screens, pressure is on the US to meet expectations. A poor result against the South American side could jeopardize the hosts' chances of advancing, as they aim to reach the round of 16—a feat they achieved at the 1994 World Cup on home turf.

Will Donald Trump attend?

Before kickoff at SoFi Stadium, cameras will search for a special guest in the stands: US President Donald Trump. While Paraguay President Santiago Peña has confirmed he will travel to Los Angeles to attend, Trump's presence at the first World Cup match on US soil remains unconfirmed. Typically, the host nation's head of state attends the tournament's opening match—and the 2026 World Cup, with 48 teams and 104 games, is the largest in history.

USA: Strong attack, vulnerable defense

Christian Pulisic, nicknamed “Captain America,” is the face of the US team. With 33 goals in 88 appearances, the 27-year-old AC Milan striker is the primary offensive weapon, capable of both creating and finishing chances. Until last week, Pulisic had endured a goal drought dating back to late 2024, but fans breathed a sigh of relief when he scored one and assisted another in a pre-World Cup friendly win over Senegal. Pulisic's form could determine how far the US goes in the tournament, as they are the highest-ranked side in the group (17th in the world).

Beyond Pulisic, the US attack features versatile Weston McKennie and striker Folarin Balogun, while midfielder Malik Tillman is a notable name. However, the US defense has issues: they have kept just one clean sheet in their last 13 matches and conceded 11 goals in the previous four. Inexperienced goalkeeper Matt Freese may face a busy night. This is the US's 12th World Cup appearance, with their best result a third-place finish in the 1930 tournament (18 teams).

Paraguay: Solid defense, weak attack

In contrast to the US, Paraguay's strength lies in defense. Despite being the lowest-ranked team in the group (41st), Paraguay boasts a sturdy backline aimed at slowing the hosts' attack. However, the team struggles to score: they managed just 14 goals in 18 qualifiers, and lead scorer Julio Enciso is injured, making it harder for coach Gustavo Alfaro to find the net. As co-hosts, the US did not have to qualify, while Paraguay endured the grueling CONMEBOL qualifiers, finishing last among the six direct qualifiers from South America. "La Albirroja" returns to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, when they lost to eventual champions Spain in the quarterfinals.

World Cup 2026 group stage format

Group D includes USA, Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the round of 32—a new format for the World Cup.

How to watch live?

In the US, the match airs on Universo, Telemundo App, Fox One, Fox, Tubi, Telemundo Network, Telexitos, and Peacock (9:00 p.m. ET Friday). In Paraguay, TyC International B.V. and Nacion Media hold rights (10:00 p.m. local time Friday). UK viewers can watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Score prediction

According to stats provider Opta Analyst, the US has a 40.1% chance of winning, Paraguay 33.3%, and a draw 26.6%.

Recent form (last 5 matches, most recent first)

USA: Loss – Win – Loss – Loss – Win
Paraguay: Win – Loss – Win – Win – Loss

Paraguay has a better record in their last five games, including a win over Nicaragua in a warm-up last week, a win over Greece in March, and a shock win over co-hosts Mexico in November. Pre-World Cup, the US beat Senegal in a friendly but lost to Germany; they also lost to Portugal and Belgium in March, but beat Uruguay in November.

Head-to-head: USA vs Paraguay

This is the 10th meeting between the sides. The US leads 5 wins to 2, with 2 draws. The US is on a 3-game winning streak against Paraguay, including a 2-1 friendly win last November. The teams met at the 1930 World Cup, with the US winning.

Squad: Enciso out injured

Paraguay suffered a major blow before the tournament when star striker Julio Enciso injured his thigh in the friendly win over Nicaragua, leaving the field in tears and unable to recover for the opener. Replacing Enciso, Paraguay will rely on midfielder Diego Gomez to create or finish chances. For the US, coach Mauricio Pochettino has no significant injury concerns.