USA vs Paraguay: World Cup 2026 group match – Trump, schedule, lineups

Who: USA vs Paraguay
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match
Where: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, California
When: Friday, 6pm section clip (01:00 GMT Saturday)
How to follow: We’ll person each the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 22:00 GMT successful beforehand of our unrecorded substance commentary stream.

For the archetypal clip successful much than 3 decades, the United States volition play a shot World Cup connected location ungraded erstwhile the squad hosts acquainted foes Paraguay successful their 2026 tourney opener.

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With tens of thousands of fans cheering from the stands and millions watching astatine home, the unit is connected the US to unrecorded up to expectations.

Anything little than 3 points against their South American opponents could impact the US’s prospects, arsenic they look to spell further than the circular of 16 decorativeness from the location World Cup successful 1994.

Donald Trump to be USA vs Paraguay?

Before the enactment kicks disconnected connected the tract astatine SoFi Stadium, the cameras volition beryllium searching for a VIP successful the stands: US President Donald Trump.

While Paraguay’s president, Santiago Pena, announced that helium would beryllium travelling to LA for the match, Trump’s attendance astatine the archetypal 2026 World Cup crippled connected American ungraded is yet to beryllium confirmed.

Usually, the president oregon caput of authorities of the big nations attends the opening lucifer of the tourney – and this World Cup, with 48 teams and 104 matches, is the biggest-ever successful history.

Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino clasp a replica 2026 FIFA World Cup last lucifer summons [File: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters]

US: Strong onslaught force, but cracks astatine the back

Nicknamed “Captain America”, guardant Christian Pulisic is the poster lad of the US team. With 33 goals successful 88 appearances, helium is simply a large attacking asset, possessing the invaluable quality to some make and decorativeness chances.

Until past week, the 27-year-old AC Milan prima was connected a extremity drought dating backmost to precocious 2024, but fans were relieved to spot him people 1 and acceptable up different successful their pre-World Cup affable against Senegal.

Pulisic’s signifier could dictate however acold the US spell astatine the tournament, wherever they person an precocious manus arsenic the highest-ranked squad (17th) successful their group.

Pulisic was 1 of the 3 extremity scorers successful their affable triumph implicit chap World Cup participants Senegal [Bob Donnan-Imagn Images]

Apart from the playmaker, the Americans’ unsafe onslaught besides features the versatile Weston McKennie and guardant Folarin Balogun, portion midfielder Malik Tillman is 1 to watch.

While the US is blessed with endowment precocious up the pitch, determination are immoderate cracks astatine the back.

The US person lone had 1 cleanable expanse successful their past 13 games, and person conceded 11 goals successful their past 4 matches. Inexperienced goalkeeper Matt Freese whitethorn person to enactment harder than his outfield teammates.

This year’s tourney marks the 12th US appearance, with a third-place decorativeness successful an 18-team 1930 World Cup being their champion accomplishment truthful far.

Watch retired for Paraguay’s coagulated defence

Unlike the US, Paraguay’s spot lies successful defence.

Although Paraguay are the lowest-ranked squad (41st) successful this group, they person a coagulated backline, which volition effort to dilatory down the American attack.

The Paraguayans, though, person struggled to score.

Miguel Almiron – known for his clip astatine Newcastle United – is simply a cardinal portion of Paraguay’s onslaught [Cesar Olmedo/Reuters]

With 14 goals successful 18 games during World Cup qualifying, and their main attacking threat, Julio Enciso injured, uncovering the nett mightiness beryllium hard for Gustavo Alfaro’s side.

As cohosts, the US did not person to suffice for the tournament, portion Paraguay had to ⁠come done the demanding CONMEBOL route, finishing past of the six automatic qualifiers ⁠in South America.

La Albirroja – Spanish for “the achromatic and red” – are returning to the World Cup for the archetypal clip since 2010, erstwhile they mislaid to eventual champions Spain successful the quarterfinals.

How does the World Cup radical signifier work?

The US, Paraguay, Australia and Turkiye are successful Group D.

The apical 2 teams from each of the 12 groups – on with the 8 champion third-placed teams – proceed to the adjacent phase, the circular of 32, which has been introduced astatine the World Cup for the archetypal time.

Where to ticker the USA vs Paraguay World Cup match?

Fans successful the US tin ticker the crippled connected Universo, Telemundo App, Fox One, Fox, Tubi, Telemundo Network, Telexitos and Peacock. Kickoff is astatine 9pm ET, Friday.

In Paraguay, TyC International B.V., and Nacion Media person the rights to telecast and livestream the match, acceptable to statesman astatine 10pm, Friday section time.

Viewers successful the United Kingdom tin ticker it connected BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

USA vs Paraguay prediction

Stats supplier Opta Analyst has fixed the USA a 40.1 percent accidental of triumph implicit Paraguay, who person 33.3 percent likelihood of winning.

There is simply a 26.6 percent accidental the lucifer ends successful a draw.

Form guide:

(Last 5 games, latest first)

US: L-W-L-L-W

Paraguay: W-L-W-W-L

Paraguay person a amended grounds successful their past 5 matches than the US, having beaten Nicaragua successful a warm-up past week. They besides bushed Greece successful a affable successful March and stunned tourney cohosts Mexico past November.

In the build-up to the World Cup, the US bushed Senegal successful a affable but mislaid to Germany. They besides mislaid to Portugal and Belgium successful March but bushed Uruguay successful November.

USA vs Paraguay: Head-to-head record

Friday’s brushwood volition beryllium the 10th gathering betwixt the sides.

The US person won 5 times truthful far, portion Paraguay person won twice, and 2 games ended drawn.

The North Americans are connected a three-match winning streak against the South Americans, including a 2-1 affable triumph past November.

The teams met successful the archetypal World Cup successful 1930 successful a lucifer won by the US.

Team news: Enciso retired for Paraguay

Paraguay were dealt a immense stroke earlier the tourney erstwhile their main attacker, Enciso, was ruled retired of the opening lucifer owed to a thigh wounded sustained successful their affable triumph implicit Nicaragua.

A regular starter successful Paraguay’s World Cup qualifiers, Enciso was seen successful tears erstwhile helium was taken disconnected the tract connected a stretcher successful the archetypal fractional of the South American side’s last warm-up crippled connected June 6.

In his absence, Paraguay volition crook to midfielder Diego Gomez to make chances oregon spell for goal.

US caput manager Mauricio Pochettino has nary wounded concerns oregon doubts.

USA predicted XI

Al Jazeera’s predicted USA XI vs Paraguay [Opta]

Paraguay predicted XI

Paraguay’s predicted XI to look USA [Opta]

You tin travel the enactment connected Al Jazeera’s dedicated FIFA World Cup 2026 page with each the latest news, lucifer build-up and unrecorded substance commentary, and support up to day with radical standings, real-time lucifer results and schedules.