US Scores Four Goals in Dominant World Cup Opener Against Paraguay

Historic Home Victory Launches World Cup Campaign

The United States men's national soccer team delivered a statement performance on home soil, crushing Paraguay 4-1 in their 2026 World Cup opener on Friday night at Los Angeles Stadium. The cohosts fired to a 4-1 drubbing of Paraguay in front of Hollywood royalty in Los Angeles , with Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio and Paris Hilton among a sold-out 70,492 crowd .

The USMNT beat Paraguay 4-1 for its first multi-goal win in a World Cup game in 24 years and a record for the U.S. men, who had never scored more than three goals in a single World Cup game . The victory marked the first World Cup match played on American soil in over three decades, setting the stage for what could be a memorable tournament for the host nation.

The hosts took the lead in the tournament's first game on US soil within seven minutes thanks to an own goal, and by the end of an utterly dominant half, the home fans were in dreamland, their side up by three . The Americans controlled the match from the opening whistle, displaying the kind of attacking prowess that has been building throughout their recent development cycle.

Balogun Shines in Breakout Performance

Striker Folarin Balogun emerged as the star of the night, scoring twice to lead the American attack. Balogun's World Cup brace is the first by a U.S. player since the inaugural tournament in 1930 . Born in New York City to Nigerian parents and raised in London, Balogun was eligible for all three national teams but chose to join the U.S. in 2023 and called the victory a statement performance.

An own goal gave the U.S. a lead in the seventh minute, before striker Folarin Balogun scored twice — including a goal that was the final kick of the first half — to give the U.S. a comfortable lead . The Monaco striker's clinical finishing showcased the depth and quality that has transformed this American squad into genuine World Cup contenders.

The supporting cast also delivered impressive performances, with Christian Pulisic orchestrating attacks and defender Chris Richards creating history by completing all 83 of his passes . Giovanni Reyna capped off the scoring with a late goal in stoppage time, pushing the final margin to three goals.

Path Forward in Group Stage

The comprehensive victory puts the United States in an excellent position to advance from Group D, which also includes Australia and Turkey. Paraguay was able to claw a goal back in the second half, but that goal could be huge for the Paraguayans' goal differential at the end of the group stage, as eight third-place teams across the 12 four-team groups will make the Round of 32 .

This is a very different USMNT than the one that crashed out of the 2022 Round of 16, and surrounded by a raucous home crowd in Los Angeles, they absolutely proved it . The team's next challenge comes against Australia on June 19 in Seattle, where they'll look to build on this momentum and secure their spot in the knockout rounds.

The performance suggests this American team has learned from past disappointments and is ready to capitalize on home-field advantage. With the foundation of a dominant opening victory, the United States has positioned itself as a legitimate threat to make a deep run in their home World Cup, potentially fulfilling decades of promise for American soccer.