LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The United States co-hosts delivered a dream opening to the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, picking up a dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay in a sold-out match that drew a star-studded crowd of A-list Hollywood celebrities at the Los Angeles venue. It was the first match of the tournament held on United States soil, co-hosted alongside Mexico and Canada, and the home side turned in a performance that exceeded even the most optimistic fan expectations.
The game’s first goal came just seven minutes after kickoff, from an unlikely source: Paraguay defender Damian Bobadilla turned the ball into his own net while attempting to clear a pass from Weston McKennie to United States striker Folarin Balogun. The sequence began when McKennie drove upfield from the center circle, fed the ball to attacking talisman Christian Pulisic, who darted between two defenders and returned the pass to McKennie to set up the chance. The packed 70,492-seat stadium erupted, setting off a first-half offensive onslaught from the hosts that Paraguay could do little to stop.
United States dominated possession, holding a staggering 75% share in the first 45 minutes, with creative play from midfield and consistent attacking build-up. Although Balogun had a 28th-minute strike ruled out for offside, the Monaco-based forward found the back of the net three minutes later, after Antonee Robinson played a perfect ball down the left flank to Pulisic, whose deflected cross fell straight to Balogun for the finish.
Balogun completed his brace right on the stroke of halftime, collecting a pass from Malik Tillman down the right wing, evading a challenge from Omar Alderete, cutting inside Gustavo Gomez, and curling a clinical strike into the top left corner of the net. By halftime, the home side held a comfortable 3-0 lead, with United States supporters already celebrating a dream start to the tournament. The only low point of the opening half was Pulisic being withdrawn at the break as a precaution, leaving fans waiting for updates on the fitness of the team’s star attacker heading into future group matches.
Paraguay showed more attacking threat in the second half after the United States stepped back to protect their lead, pulling a goal back through substitute Brazil-born forward Mauricio, who finished off a setup from hamstring injury-hit star Julio Enciso. But the hosts put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time, when Gio Reyna curled a stunning fourth goal into the far corner of the net with the outside of his right foot, sealing the 4-1 rout.
Among the sold-out crowd were global entertainment icons including Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Paris Hilton, who watched the match from premium positions. Before the match, the host city held a glitzy, Hollywood-themed opening ceremony for the first United States-held match of the tournament, headlined by pop superstar Katy Perry. She was joined on stage by collaborators Future, Tyla, Anitta, and K-pop superstar Lisa, with performers dancing around a giant replica FIFA World Cup trophy under oversized gold “FIFA” letters. Former U.S. President Donald Trump did not attend the event, but he extended a message of good luck to the United States team via phone ahead of kickoff.
With the emphatic opening win, the United States now sits atop Group D, which also includes Australia and Turkey, putting them in an extremely strong position to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament. The co-hosts are aiming to make a deep run in the competition, with their best World Cup performance dating back to a quarter-final appearance in 2002, and this opening victory has already built massive momentum for the team as the tournament progresses.