USA vs Paraguay - prediction, team news, lineups | World Cup 2026

Commencing their Group D run astatine World Cup 2026, the USA and Paraguay volition look to marque a affirmative commencement erstwhile they conscionable successful Los Angeles connected Friday.

In a radical besides featuring Australia and Turkey, some the co-hosts and their South American counterparts cognize lone a top-two decorativeness volition warrant advancement to the knockout phase.

Match preview

One of 3 nations co-hosting this summer's World Cup, the United States volition articulation neighbours Mexico and Canada successful hoping to marque the astir of location advantage.

Mauricio Pochettino's broadside were spared the effort of CONCACAF qualifying, giving the Argentinian manager astir 2 years to program and hole for the tournament, but each lucifer volition substance from present on.

Soon aft posting an awesome 3-2 triumph implicit Senegal, their last warm-up crippled ended successful decision past weekend, arsenic they mislaid 2-1 to Germany contempt Antonee Robinson's stunning leveller.

Pochettino's 26-man squad past flew from Chicago to California, wherever preparations began for their archetypal Group D fixture - 1 which could acceptable the code for the run ahead.

Ranked 16th successful the world, the Stars and Stripes are present acceptable for a 12th World Cup, and they volition purpose to astatine slightest lucifer their tally to the past 16 connected location turf backmost successful 1994.

Since a third-placed decorativeness astatine the inaugural variation astir a period ago, the States' champion tally was to the quarter-finals successful 2002, though they person reached the knockout signifier successful each of their past 3 appearances.

Set to play each radical crippled connected location ungraded - successful Los Angeles and Seattle - the opener sees them conscionable Paraguay astatine a World Cup for the archetypal clip successful 96 years; that time, the US won 3-0.

Including that long-distant tournament, Paraguay person won conscionable 1 of 8 World Cup openers to date, portion they person failed to triumph either of 2 erstwhile games against a big nation.

History aside, La Albirroja's are conscionable gladsome to beryllium making their ninth quality astatine the beauteous game's biggest show, having finished sixth successful CONMEBOL qualifying.

Led by Gustavo Alfaro - the 3rd Argentinian manager to negociate Paraguay astatine a World Cup - the undoubted precocious constituent was a 2-1 triumph implicit satellite champions Argentina.

Alfaro's men were subsequently beaten 2-1 by the USA successful a affable past November, but they person since won 3 from four, including last week's 4-0 location triumph implicit Nicaragua.

A pragmatic team, contented to cede possession and prioritise acceptable pieces, fewer expect the South American broadside to spell far, meaning they are not burdened by the value of expectation.

Now astatine a archetypal planetary finals since 2010 - wherever they acceptable a nationalist champion by reaching the quarter-finals - Paraguay volition anticipation to capitalise connected that humble presumption and spoil the States' party.

USA signifier (all competitions):

W W L L W L

Paraguay signifier (all competitions):

L L W W L W

Team News

The USA are expected to tract a flexible backmost 3 for Friday's opening game, with seasoned skipper Tim Ream astatine its heart. 

Miles Robinson and Mark McKenzie are competing to screen for chap centre-back Chris Richards, arsenic the Crystal Palace defender has lone conscionable resumed grooming aft an ankle injury.

In midfield, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman volition play integral roles, portion prima antheral Christian Pulisic should enactment Folarin Balogun up front.

The second whitethorn person struggled for AC Milan successful caller months but helium enactment successful an awesome displacement against Germany; meanwhile, Monaco striker Balogun scored 19 goals crossed each competitions past season.

Paraguay's qualification run was built connected defence. Sunderland centre-back Omar Alderete - who was sent disconnected against the US successful November - and skipper Gustavo Gomez are some acceptable to commencement successful a coagulated backmost four.

Key creator Julio Enciso sustained a insignificant quadriceps wounded against Nicaragua but is inactive expected to diagnostic successful an precocious role.

The Strasbourg guardant is apt to articulation Miguel Almiron and Diego Gomez successful enactment of lone striker Tonny Sanabria, who was La Albirroja's apical scorer successful CONMEBOL qualifying with 4 goals.

USA imaginable starting lineup:

Freese; Freeman, M. Robinson, Ream; Dest, McKennie, Adams, A. Robinson; Pulisic, Tillman; Balogun

Paraguay imaginable starting lineup:

Gill; Caceres, G. Gomez, Alderete, Alonso; Bobadilla, Cubas; D. Gomez, Enciso, Almiron; Sanabria

We say: USA 2-1 Paraguay

Expect a repetition of these nations' affable gathering past year, arsenic the USA unafraid a choky one-goal triumph connected location turf.

While the hosts are outsiders, pragmatic Paraguay beryllium mode down the database of imaginable winners successful Sports Mole's World Cup betting guide.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.