LOS ANGELES (June 12, 2026) – In its highly anticipated group stage opener at FIFA World Cup 2026, the U.S. Men’s National Team started the tournament with an epic 4-1 victory in front of 70,492 spirited fans at Los Angeles Stadium. Striker Folarin Balogun scored his first World Cup goals, a brace in the first half, and midfielder Gio Reyna iced the match in the dying moments, as the USA collected three points in its first action of the world’s greatest sporting competition.
The seventh-largest crowd to ever watch the USMNT in a World Cup match, and largest since 1994, witnessed a special performance as the USMNT scored the most goals in program history for a FIFA World Cup match.
With the three points, the U.S. sits atop the table in Group D for the moment. The other two nations in the group, Australia and Türkiye, have not played yet and will face each other on Saturday, June 13 at BC Place Vancouver.
U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino made one change to the starting XI from the final send-off match against Germany in Chicago on June 6. Center back Chris Richards returned to the lineup after missing time recovering from an ankle injury. Richards, who marshalled the defense expertly with veteran captain Tim Ream and 21-year-old debutant Alex Freeman on either side of him, is one of five starters who made his FIFA World Cup debut along with Balogun, Freeman, midfielder Malik Tillman and goalkeeper Matt Freese.
Both sides pushed hard into the attack right out of the gate. Paraguay tested Freese in his FIFA World Cup debut with a chance inside the box just 76 seconds into the match, but the U.S. answered right back with an attempt of their own from Balogun that led to a save from Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
The U.S. got on the scoresheet early with an own goal following a transition moment and terrific teamwork between forward Christian Pulisic and midfielder Weston McKennie, two of six returners from 2022 in Qatar in today's starting lineup. Pulisic split two defenders to slip a pass to McKennie a step outside the six-yard box. McKennie’s pass attempt to Balogun across the top of goal box was then bundled into the goal by Paraguayan midfielder Damián Bobadilla.
Trailing with less than 10 minutes gone, Paraguay responded with more physicality, but that didn’t deter the steady Americans, who settled into the game, built up a massive edge in possession and continued to find fluidity in its attack. This led to a promising moment in the 17th minute when Balogun switched the ball to right wingback Sergiño Dest with space from the top box. Paraguay blocked Dest’s attempt to find Balogun’s run toward goal from the edge of the six-yard box, which led to a U.S. corner kick.
It appeared that the U.S. doubled its lead in the 28th minute when McKennie slipped a pass to Balogun inside a congested penatly box. Balogun finished with a composed shot from close range, but the goal was correctly called back due to an offside on Pulisic on the initial penetrating pass.
Just a few minutes later, Balogun scored one that stuck. Pulisic was again involved in the play, pushing the ball into the box with an audacious dribble. His pinpoint cross toward the penalty spot met Balogun and the striker finished crisply with a shot that traveled into the lower right corner to record his first goal at a FIFA World Cup.
In first-half stoppage time, Balogun scored again to secure his brace on the evening. After receiving a long ball from Tillman, Balogun rode a sliding tackle extremely well, cut into the middle to beat another Paraguayan defender and delivered a gorgeous, curling strike with his left foot into the into the upper left corner, sending the home crowd into an enthusiastic frenzy which witnessed the USMNT leading 3-0 at halftime for the first time in FIFA World Cup history.
Paraguay would pull one back in the 73rd minute following a free kick when Mauricio scored to make it, 3-1, but the Americans would easily see out game and added another goal, something that could be critical at the end of group play if goal difference comes into play.
The U.S. didn’t sit back and continued to create chances until the match’s last minute. Just before the final whistle in the eighth minute of stoppage time, midfielder Gio Reyna, who entered the match as a substitute in the 82nd minute, tacked on one more goal for the home side. Reyna finished an expert strike with the outside of his right foot which spun exquisitely into the left side of the goal to put an exclamation point on an already superb performance from the U.S. in its opener.
The USA’s domination was such that it outshot Paraguay 16-9 and allowed just one shot on goal, which was the South American’s lone score.
The U.S. continues its World Cup journey with two more fixtures in Group D. First, the team travels up the coast to Seattle, Wash. for a meeting with Australia on Friday, June 19 at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT. Group play concludes back in Los Angeles versus Türkiye on Thursday, June 25 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – OWN GOAL (DAMIÁN BOBADILLA) 7th minute: In a transition attack, Alex Freeman led Weston McKennie with a beautiful pass into space up the middle of the pitch. McKennie played the ball to Pulisic on the left, and the forward dynamically split two Paraguay defenders with the fantastic dribble at speed. Pulisic returned a pass to McKennie inside the box. McKennie attempted to play another pass into the middle of the box and retreating Paraguay midfielder Damián Bobadilla ran through the ball to knock it into his own net. USA 1, PAR 0
USA – FOLARIN BALOGUN (CHRISTIAN PULISIC), 31st minute: Antonee Robinson started the play with a tidy vertical pass to Pulisic down the left side of the pitch. Pulisic took one long dribble to advance the ball into the 18-yard box then made a precise cross to Balogun, who smartly timed his run. Balogun lined up a low, left-footed shot from 10 yards out and placed it beautifully into the lower right corner past Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill. USA 2, PAR 0
USA – FOLARIN BALOGUN (MALIK TILLMAN), 45+5th minute: Again, the U.S. found success with the long ball. Malik Tillman located Balogun with a pass up the pitch from the midline and into the right side of the penalty area. Balogun stayed on his feet despite a sliding tackle from Omar Alderete. He took one dribble centrally to evade another then delivered a confident left-footed strike into the upper left corner from about 10 yards out. USA 3, PAR 0
USA – MAURICIO (JULIO ENCISO), 73rd minute: Paraguay progressed the ball following a free kick taken in its defensive third. The U.S. was unable to get off a good clearance and Enciso swung a short pass through traffic for Mauricio to run onto. The midfielder slotted a low, left-footed strike into the lower left-hand side of the frame for Paraguay lone goal of the night. USA 3, PAR 1
USA – GIO REYNA (ALEX FREEMAN), 90+8th minute: The U.S. patiently passed the ball in its attacking third with second-half substitute Tim Weah quarterbacking passes between Ricardo Pepi and Alex Freeman. At the end of the sequence, Freeman fed Gio Reyna with a short pass, and the midfielder made a quick turn toward goal before delivering a curling shot with the outside of his right foot into the left side of the goal from 10 yards out. USA 4, PAR 1 FINAL
Additional Notes:
Match: United States Men’s National Team vs. Paraguay
Date: June 12, 2026
Competition: 2026 FIFA World Cup – Group D
Venue: Los Angeles Stadium; Inglewood, Calif.
Attendance: 70,492
Kickoff: 6 p.m. PT
Weather: 70 degrees, cloudy
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| PAR | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| USA - Own Goal (Damián Bobadilla) | 7th minute |
| USA - Folarin Balogun (Christian Pulisic) | 31 |
| USA - Folarin Balogun (Malik Tillman) | 45+5 |
| PAR - Mauricio (Julio Enciso) | 73 |
| USA – Gio Reyna (Alex Freeman) | 90+8' |
Lineups:
USA: 24-Matt Freese; 16-Alex Freeman, 3-Chris Richards 13-Tim Ream (Capt.), 5-Antonee Robinson; 4-Tyler Adams, 17-Malik Tillman (7-Gio Reyna, 82), 2-Sergiño Dest (21-Tim Weah, 72), 8-Weston McKennie, 10-Christian Pulisic (14-Sebastian Berhalter, 46); 20-Folarin Balogun (9-Ricardo Pepi, 72)
Substitutes not used: 1-Matt Turner, 25-Chris Brady, 6-Auston Trusty, 11-Brenden Aaronson, 12-Miles Robinson, 15-Cristian Roldan, 18-Max Arfsten, 19-Haji Wright, 22-Mark McKenzie, 23-Joe Scally, 26-Alex Zendejas
PAR: 12-Orlando Gill; 4-Juan Caceres (2-Gustavo Velázquez, 79), 15-Gustavo Gómez, 3-Omar Alderete, 6-Junior Alonso; 8-Diego Gómez (17-Alejandro Romero, 80), 14-Andrés Cubas, 16-Damián Bobadilla (11-Mauricio, 46), 10-Miguel Almirón (7-Ramón Sosa, 79), 9-Antonio Sanabria (18-Alex Arce, 62), 19-Julio Enciso\
Substitutes not used: 1-Roberto Fernández, 22-Gastón Olveira, 5-Fabián Balbuena, 13-José Canale, 20-Braian Ojeda, 21-Gabriel Ávalos, 23-Matías Galarza, 25-Isidro Pitta, 24-Gustavo Velázquez, 26-Alexandro Maidana,
Head Coach: Gustavo Alfaro
Stats Summary: USA / PAR
Shots: 16 / 9
Shots on Goal: 6 / 1
Saves: 1 / 3
Corner Kicks: 3 / 1
Fouls: 13 / 17
Offsides: 2 / 1
| Misconduct Summary | |
| PAR - Juan Cáceres (Caution) | 10th minute |
| PAR - Miguel Almirón (Caution) | 52 |
| USA - Tyler Adams (Caution) | 59 |
| PAR – Diego Gómez (Caution) | 79 |
| PAR - Álex Arce (Caution) | 88 |
| PAR - Júnior Alonso (Caution) | 90+3 |
Officials:
Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED)
Assistant 1: Hessel Steegstra (NED)
Assistant 2: Jan De Vries (NED)
Fourth Official: Yusuke Araki (JPN)
VAR 1: Carlos Del Cerro Grande (ESP)
VAR 2: Dennis Higler (NED)
VAR 3: Khamis Almarri (QAT)