The 2026 World Cup officially opened in the United States on the evening of June 11 (local time) with a spectacular Hollywood-style ceremony at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, temporarily renamed Los Angeles Stadium for the event. The ceremony took place just before the host team USA faced Paraguay in the opening match.
A voiceover boomed: “Welcome to America,” accompanied by close-up shots of the Hollywood Sign on giant screens. A marching band kicked off the show, followed by performances from Future, Tyla, Anitta, and K-pop singer Lisa. Costumes and props were designed to evoke Los Angeles street art and the city’s creative industries.
Actor Jason Sudeikis and singer Katy Perry were scheduled to perform just before kickoff. In the stands, Hollywood stars including Tom Cruise, David Beckham, Halle Berry, Rob Lowe, Owen Wilson, and Paris Hilton watched dancers perform around a giant golden World Cup trophy placed at midfield.
From the dome of the 70,000-seat stadium, gilded “FIFA” letters — a favorite color of US President Donald Trump — hung suspended. Trump did not attend the opening ceremony but called to encourage the US team: “I think you have a very good chance to go all the way. I just want to wish you luck.”
American fans, many dressed as Uncle Sam, the Statue of Liberty, or bald eagles, booed the Paraguayan players as they took the field for warm-ups. “I believe we can go all the way,” said US fan Isaac Pizarro, who paid $1,900 per ticket to attend with his 14-year-old son Jacob.
Nevertheless, the South American contingent was also large, with dozens of Paraguayan flags standing out among the sea of red, white, and blue from both teams. US center-back Chris Richards overcame an injury to start, as did Paraguay’s dangerous winger Julio Enciso.
Earlier, co-hosts Mexico and Canada played their first home matches, each hosting their own opening ceremonies. Mexico beat South Africa 2-0, while Canada came from behind to draw 1-1 with Bosnia-Herzegovina, earning their first points in World Cup history.
