Adedokun Waliyu The United States will begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on Friday against Paraguay in Los Angeles, marking the first World Cup finals match played on American soil since the 1994 tournament.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino has set high expectations for his team, insisting that success means more than simply progressing from the group stage.
The American squad, led by Christian Pulisic, faces the challenge of performing under the pressure of playing before home supporters. Pulisic expressed confidence in the team’s ability to compete with the world’s best nations and said they aim to become a major force in the tournament.
The opening match will take place at SoFi Stadium and will be preceded by an entertainment show featuring Katy Perry and other music stars.
In another opening-day fixture, co-hosts Canada will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto as they seek their first-ever World Cup victory. Canada will be without star defender Alphonso Davies, who is recovering from injury.
The tournament officially began on Thursday in Mexico City, where co-hosts Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0. Goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez secured the win.
The opening ceremony featured performances by Shakira and Burna Boy before a crowd of 80,000 at Estadio Azteca.
Meanwhile, South Korea opened their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Czech Republic.
The 48-team tournament will run until July 19, when the final will be played in New Jersey.
