The United States defeated Paraguay 4–1 [1] in their Group D opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 13, 2026 [1].
The victory provides the co-hosting nation with critical early momentum in the tournament. For Paraguay, the loss marks a difficult return to the global stage after a 16-year absence from the competition [2].
The match took place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where the U.S. established an early lead. The scoring began in the seventh minute when Damian Bobadilla scored an own-goal [3]. Folarin Balogun further solidified the American lead by scoring two goals [1].
"We wanted to start the tournament with a win and we did that," said U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter [1].
The result was a significant blow to a Paraguayan side that had not appeared in a World Cup since 2010 [2]. The team struggled to contain the U.S. attack throughout the match, a failure that left the squad reeling by the final whistle.
"It hurts to lose like this, especially after 16 years away from the World Cup," said Paraguay captain Gustavo Velázquez [1].
Supporters of the Paraguayan team expressed similar disappointment following the conclusion of the match. "Heartbreak for us fans – we hoped for a better start," said a Paraguayan supporter in Los Angeles [3].
The U.S. team now enters its next group stage fixture with a substantial goal difference and a confidence boost from the dominant performance [1].
“"We wanted to start the tournament with a win and we did that,"”
This result places the United States in a strong position to advance from Group D, while putting Paraguay in a precarious situation. Because Paraguay has not competed in a World Cup since 2010, this loss highlights the gap in competitive experience and momentum between the two sides at the start of the tournament.
