US beats Paraguay 4-1 in World Cup opener, tops Group D

A 4-1 rout in front of 70,492 at Los Angeles Stadium did more than hand the United States three points. It gave the host nation an early answer to the pressure that comes with staging a World Cup at home: this squad can score with authority, and it can do it on a stage where every mistake will be measured.

The United States was sharp from the opening minutes against Paraguay, and the breakthrough came when Damián Bobadilla put the ball into his own net. Folarin Balogun then seized control of the match with two first-half goals, scoring his first World Cup goals and turning a tense opener into a lopsided one. Giovanni Reyna finished the job late, adding the fourth goal as the Americans completed their highest-scoring World Cup match ever.

The result sent the United States to the top of Group D with three points and changed the conversation around the home team’s ceiling. A dominant opener does not settle the tournament, but it does reset the baseline. Against a Paraguay side coached by Gustavo Alfaro and carrying a World Cup history that stretches back to 1930, the Americans did not merely survive the moment. They imposed themselves, and that carries weight in a tournament where the host nation will be scrutinized after every match.

Mauricio Pochettino said he was amazed by the energy from the stands and called the supporters amazing after the victory. The crowd response mattered because it underscored the scale of the occasion: a home World Cup opener, a large and loud audience, and a team that looked increasingly comfortable as the match opened up. FIFA and U.S. Soccer described the performance as one of the United States’ most impressive at a World Cup, and the numbers backed up that assessment.

The next test arrives quickly. The United States travels to Seattle Stadium to face Australia on Friday, June 19, 2026, at 3 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. PT. If the opener was about establishing control, the second group match will show whether the Americans have simply produced one emphatic night or set a higher standard for the rest of the tournament.