FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group D | Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood | Today, 6:30 AM
The moment an entire nation has been waiting for has arrived. The United States men’s national team are set to kick off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign today against Paraguay in a high-stakes Group D opener at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood — and the pressure to deliver on home soil has never been greater.
Group D at a Glance
The standings show all four teams — USA, Paraguay, Australia, and Türkiye — level on zero points as they prepare to begin their campaigns. With Australia and a dangerous Turkish side featuring Real Madrid’s Arda Güler also in the group, the USA must get three points here to set the tone for what they hope will be a historic deep run at a home tournament.
Win Probability
The numbers favour the hosts. Pre-match win probability has:
- USA: 46%
- Draw: 30%
- Paraguay: 24%
The USA go in as clear favourites, boosted by the enormous advantage of playing on home soil in front of a packed Inglewood crowd.
USA — Poch’s Moment of Truth
The United States open their home 2026 World Cup at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles against Paraguay, in a Group D opener that carries the full weight of a nation’s expectations. The last time these two sides met at a World Cup was 1930.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino has been building toward this moment for two years. Christian Pulisic enters the tournament bringing his AC Milan experience, locked into his starting role on the left flank, while Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi compete to lead the line as the central striker. In midfield, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams anchor the spine.
One fascinating subplot: 38-year-old veteran Tim Ream could officially become the oldest player ever to appear for the United States at a men’s FIFA World Cup if he features today.
Paraguay — Defensive Masterclass on the Road
Don’t underestimate the Albirroja. Gustavo Alfaro’s side arrived with a deeply unified squad and massive defensive continuity following their relentless 18-match CONMEBOL qualifying marathon, banking heavily on a rugged, physical identity perfectly tuned to his demanding defensive principles.
Paraguay arrived having gone unbeaten in eight matches, including wins over Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. They gave up just 14 goals across all 18 CONMEBOL qualifiers — a team that will make this difficult and wait for their moment.
History Favours USA
The USA are unbeaten in their last three opening World Cup games, while Paraguay have won just once in their previous eight World Cup openers. The USA have also won three successive head-to-head meetings in all competitions.
The only previous World Cup meeting between these sides came in 1930, when Bert Patenaude scored the first hat-trick in World Cup history as the USA won 3-0.
One to Watch: Christian Pulisic
Christian Pulisic could be the difference-maker for the Americans, having contributed to the first two goals in their 3-2 friendly win against Senegal in May. If the USA are to announce themselves at this World Cup, their captain will need to be at his very best.
Kick-off: Today, 6:30 AM | Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood
USA ranked 1st in Group D | Paraguay ranked 2nd