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Workers
work
from a
crane at
Los
Angeles
Stadium
(temporarily
renamed
from
SoFi
Stadium)
on June
7, ahead
of the
2026
FIFA
World
Cup.
(Patrick
T.
Fallon/AFP
via
Getty
Images) |
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Malik
Tillman
is the
latest
German-American
to be
part of
a USA
World
Cup
squad,
and his
skills
in
midfield
could
prove
crucial
to their
hopes.
(Getty
Images) |
| |
USMNT
Opens
World
Cup
Campaign
Friday
Night
Against
Paraguay
at SoFi
Stadium
Dusty
Schoenherr
- Sports
Tell Us
USA News
Network
LOS
ANGELES
The
moment
American
soccer
fans
have
been
waiting
for
arrives
Friday
evening,
as the
United
States
Men's
National
Team
kicks
off
their
2026
FIFA
World
Cup at
SoFi
Stadium
in
Inglewood,
California.
Kickoff
against
Paraguay
is set
for 9
p.m. ET
on FOX.
The 2026
World
Cup,
expanded
to 48
nations,
runs
from
June 11
through
July 19,
and the
tournament
will
unfold
in 16
cities
across
the
United
States,
Canada
and
Mexico.
Coached
by
Mauricio
Pochettino,
the
USMNT
hopes
their
"golden
generation"
can
match
their
best
result
of the
modern
era a
quarterfinal
appearance
in 2002.
The U.S.
men's
national
team is
in Group
D
alongside
Paraguay,
Australia
and
Turkey.
The
USMNT
holds
the
highest
FIFA
world
ranking
of the
four
teams at
No. 16,
with
Turkey
next at
No. 22,
Australia
at No.
27, and
Paraguay
the
lowest
at No.
40.
Friday's
opener
is the
first of
three
group
stage
matches;
the
Americans
will
then
face
Australia
in
Seattle
on June
19
before
closing
group
play
against
Turkey
back at
SoFi
Stadium
on June
25.
Christian
Pulisic,
Weston
McKennie,
Tyler
Adams
and
Chris
Richards
are
faces of
the
program
the
core of
a squad
carrying
the
weight
of a
host
nation's
expectations.
The
biggest
storyline
surrounding
the U.S.
heading
into the
opener
is
Pulisic's
form.
The AC
Milan
winger
finished
the club
season
on a
19-match
scoreless
drought
as
Milan's
campaign
imploded,
though
the SoFi
crowd
could be
exactly
what he
needs to
wake up.
Meanwhile,
AS
Monaco's
Folarin
Balogun
produced
19 goals
and four
assists
across
all
competitions
this
season
and
arrives
as the
most
in-form
U.S.
striker
entering
the
tournament.
There is
also an
injury
concern
in
defense.
Chris
Richards
is
dealing
with an
ankle
ligament
injury
suffered
on May
17 and
is the
only
doubt
for the
USMNT.
Manager
Pochettino
said the
next few
days
before
the game
are key
for his
assessment.
If
Richards
cannot
go,
Miles
Robinson
or Mark
McKenzie
would
step
into the
center-back
partnership
alongside
Tim
Ream.
Should
Ream
take the
field,
it would
be a
historic
moment:
at 38
years
old, he
would
officially
become
the
oldest
player
ever to
appear
for the
United
States
at a
men's
FIFA
World
Cup.
Don't
let the
rankings
fool
you.
Paraguay,
under
coach
Gustavo
Alfaro,
arrive
having
gone
unbeaten
in eight
matches,
including
wins
over
Brazil,
Argentina
and
Uruguay.
They
gave up
just 14
goals
across
all 18
CONMEBOL
qualifiers
a team
that
will
make
things
difficult
and wait
for
their
moment.
Under
Alfaro,
Paraguay
engineered
a
legendary
ascent
up the
CONMEBOL
standings,
stringing
together
a
nine-match
unbeaten
run
fueled
by the
Argentine
manager's
insistence
on
rediscovering
the
historic
"grit"
long
associated
with
Paraguayan
football.
On the
attacking
end,
former
Inter
Miami
standout
Diego
Gσmez
has been
at the
heart of
all
things
good for
his
nation,
contributing
12 goals
and 10
assists
across
competitions
for his
club.
Recent
history
favors
the U.S.
the
last
time
Paraguay
faced
them,
they
suffered
a 2-1
defeat
in
November
2025, a
result
that
will
provide
some
confidence
for
Pochettino's
side
heading
into
Friday's
contest.
The
match
kicks
off
Friday,
June 12
at 9
p.m. ET
at SoFi
Stadium
in
Inglewood,
California,
airing
on FOX
in
English
and
Telemundo
in
Spanish.
All 104
games of
the
tournament
are also
available
to
stream
on
Peacock.
The
USMNT's
opening
night at
a home
World
Cup 32
years
after
the
nation
last
hosted
promises
to be
one of
the most
electric
atmospheres
in
American
soccer
history.
All eyes
will be
on
Pulisic
and
company
to
deliver.
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