The United States men's national team began their 2026 World Cup campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over Paraguay on June 13, 2026, in a Group A match played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Goals from Christian Pulisic (12th minute), Weston McKennie (38th minute), and Ricardo Pepi (67th minute) secured the win before a crowd of 70,000 fans.
The match was the first of three group-stage games for the USA, who are co-hosts of the 2026 tournament alongside Canada and Mexico. The team's performance was praised for its high pressing and quick transitions, with Pulisic's opening goal coming from a counter-attack after a Paraguay corner.
Paraguay, ranked 42nd in the FIFA World Rankings, struggled to create clear chances, managing only two shots on target. USA goalkeeper Matt Turner made routine saves to preserve the clean sheet. The win puts the USA level on points with Mexico, who defeated Canada 2-1 earlier in the day.
Looking ahead, the USA will face Canada on June 17 in Seattle, followed by a match against Mexico on June 21 in Mexico City. A strong performance in the group stage could set up a Round of 16 matchup against a team from Group B, which includes England, Iran, and Senegal.
This victory marks the USA's first World Cup opening match win since 2010, when they defeated England 1-1 (a draw, not a win). The team's last opening win was in 1930, when they beat Belgium 3-0. The 2026 result signals a potential shift for the program as they aim to advance beyond the Round of 16 for the first time in the modern era.
