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The United States faces Paraguay on Friday in its first 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. This will be the first World Cup game in the U.S. since 1994.
The U.S. is co-hosting the tournament with Mexico and Canada and enters Group D with high hopes. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino has already shared his goals for the team.
"For me, successful is to win. Is to win tomorrow. And win after," Pochettino said Thursday. "If we don't arrive to the final and we don't win the World Cup, to talk about 'successful'? I don't know."
Captain Christian Pulisic leads a U.S. team that needs to play well against tough international teams and manage the pressure of playing at home.
"We want to be a real force in this tournament," Pulisic told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "We've got three really good games to show everyone what we're all about."
Pochettino, who is from Argentina, said his team must match Paraguay's physical style and experience. Pulisic agreed, saying, "It's not about just playing beautiful football."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to attend the match. President Donald Trump has said he will attend other games during the tournament, but has not specified which ones.
Before the match, SoFi Stadium will host an opening ceremony with performances by Katy Perry and other musicians.
On Friday, co-hosts Canada will play Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto as it tries for its first World Cup win. Canada will be without star forward Alphonso Davies, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury.
The 2026 World Cup started on Thursday in Mexico City, where co-hosts Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 at Estadio Azteca. This stadium is the first to host matches at three different World Cups. Julian Quinones scored the first goal of the tournament in the ninth minute, and Raul Jimenez added a header to secure the win.
There were three red cards in the match. Outside the stadium, teachers, relatives of missing persons, and student activists clashed with police. Some protesters broke through barriers shortly after Mexico's opening goal.
South Korea also won on the first day, beating the Czech Republic 2-1 in Guadalajara. Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the winning goal in the 80th minute.
The tournament, which features 48 teams, will end with the final in New Jersey on July 19. FIFA has faced criticism for ticket prices before the tournament. U.S. immigration enforcement has also affected the event, as a top referee, Iranian team officials, and fans were reportedly denied entry to the country.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino called Iran's participation in the tournament a significant achievement for the organization, given the ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington. Iran is set to play New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday.
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