Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt join stars at U.S. World Cup debut
Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio turned SoFi Stadium into a Hollywood showcase as the U.S. beat Paraguay 4-1 in its first World Cup home match since 1994.
Hollywood’s biggest names made SoFi Stadium look less like a soccer venue than a national stage, as Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Katy Perry, Sofía Vergara and Bill Gates were among the stars reported at the United States’ World Cup debut. The 4-1 win over Paraguay in Inglewood, California, gave the U.S. men a loud, star-filled return to home soil for the first World Cup match in the country since 1994.
The scene underlined how far soccer has moved into the American entertainment mainstream. FIFA had set the Los Angeles pre-match celebration to begin at 4:30 p.m. local time, with Dan + Shay performing the U.S. anthem and Purahei Soul handling Paraguay’s. Jason Sudeikis was introduced as a 2026 World Cup ambassador, while Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla were all part of the ceremony, turning the buildup into a live entertainment package built for broadcast as much as for the 90 minutes that followed.
The guest list stretched well beyond the pitch. David and Victoria Beckham were among those reported in attendance, and Beckham’s presence carried an extra Hollywood flourish because he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame the same day. Other reported attendees included Paris Hilton, Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry, Rob Lowe, Will Forte, Becky G and Jaafar Jackson, a crowd that made the opener read like a crossover event between a championship game and a major awards-night gathering.
That level of celebrity concentration says something important about soccer’s commercial standing in the United States. The World Cup’s return after 32 years on U.S. soil comes with obvious marketing power, especially with the 2026 tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The lead-up also exposed familiar friction points, including debate over ticket prices and visas, but the crowd at SoFi suggested the sport now has the kind of premium pull that can attract both global brands and marquee talent.
For broadcasters, sponsors and organizers, the message was clear: soccer is no longer selling only to dedicated fans. It is selling scale, spectacle and cultural relevance, with a roster of musicians, actors and business figures helping convert a match into a broader American event. The result was a night that blended sport, celebrity and national identity, and the 4-1 scoreline gave the pageantry a result worthy of the setting.
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