U.S. opens World Cup campaign against Paraguay

The U.S. men’s national soccer team begins its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign Friday night against Paraguay, launching its first World Cup on home soil in 32 years at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

The match, scheduled for 9 p.m. ET, opens Group D play for a U.S. team carrying both high expectations and the visibility that comes with hosting. The 2026 tournament is being staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with 48 teams playing 104 matches over 39 days.

“You’re playing for 330 million people. That’s a big deal. There’s added responsibility, added eyes. But at the same time, it’s the ultimate goal, the ultimate honor,” U.S. captain Tim Ream told CBS News. “I have no doubt that we could potentially win.”

The United States returns to the World Cup after reaching the Round of 16 in Qatar in 2022. Before that, the team failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia. Its best modern World Cup finish was a run to the quarterfinals in 2002, NPR reported, and since then the U.S. has recorded three total wins across World Cup tournaments.

This year’s roster includes World Cup veterans and first-time participants, with several leading players holding regular roles at major European clubs. NPR reported that midfielder Tyler Adams and defenders Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson are regular contributors in the English Premier League, Weston McKennie plays for Juventus in Italy, and Christian Pulisic, now 27, is a standout for AC Milan.

“This is for me the biggest opportunity to grow the game, to inspire people, to show that American players are at the level of the rest of the world,” Adams said Thursday.

Paraguay enters the opener ranked No. 40 by FIFA, according to NPR. The teams met in an international friendly last November, with the United States winning 2-1 after a scuffle between players broke out during stoppage time.

“We know that they’re gonna be super, super aggressive, so we’re going to have to match that. We saw that the last time we played them,” U.S. forward Tim Weah said.

Paraguay may be without 22-year-old midfielder Julio Enciso, described by NPR as its biggest talent, after he was stretchered off in the first half of the team’s final warm-up match last week.

After Friday’s opener, the U.S. will face Australia at Seattle’s Lumen Field on June 17 at 3 p.m. ET. The team will then return to SoFi Stadium to play Turkey on June 25 at 10 p.m. ET.

The expanded tournament format sends the top two teams from each group, plus the eight third-place teams with the most points, into the round of 32. NPR reported that a win over Paraguay, combined with either another win against Australia or Turkey or draws against both, would likely be enough for the U.S. to advance.

If the United States wins Group D, it will play its first knockout match July 1 at 8 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. If it finishes second, it will play July 3 at 2 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.

The round of 16 is set for July 4-7, followed by quarterfinals July 9-10 and semifinals on July 14. The World Cup final will be played July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.