LOS ANGELES — The United States men’s national soccer team secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Paraguay in its opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, providing a strong start for the tournament hosts after mixed results in pre-World Cup preparations.
The match, played before a sellout crowd at Los Angeles Stadium on June 12, saw forward Folarin Balogun score twice as the United States established an early lead and maintained control for much of the contest. An own goal by Paraguay’s Damian Bobadilla and a late strike from Giovanni Reyna completed the scoring for the Americans, according to FIFA and U.S. Soccer reports.
The result marked the highest goal total by a U.S. men’s team in a World Cup match, according to U.S. Soccer. Balogun became the first American player since 1930 to score two goals in a single World Cup game, the federation said.
The victory followed a preparation period that included a 3-2 win over Senegal and a 2-1 loss to Germany in the team’s final warm-up match before the tournament. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino had said before the competition that the team was focused on building momentum while competing against higher-ranked opposition.
“I’m happy to finish the first week in training and compete against a really good team,” Pochettino said after the Senegal victory, according to U.S. Soccer. He added that positive performances before the tournament were important for the squad’s confidence.
Against Paraguay, the United States moved quickly into control, scoring early and taking a multi-goal advantage into halftime. U.S. captain Tim Ream said after the match that a strong start was important for a host nation facing heightened expectations at a World Cup staged largely on home soil, according to Reuters.
Paraguay, appearing in its first World Cup since 2010, struggled to recover after conceding multiple first-half goals. The South American side managed one goal but was unable to significantly reduce the deficit. Reuters reported that Paraguay will look to improve its position in upcoming group-stage matches.
The United States remains in the group stage of the tournament and is scheduled to face Australia in its next match, according to U.S. Soccer and tournament organizers. Officials have not announced any major roster changes, although details regarding the condition of Christian Pulisic, who left the Paraguay match at halftime after what Reuters described as a calf issue, remain limited.
