The United States men's national soccer team began their home World Cup campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay on Friday at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Playing as co-hosts, the U.S. waited 32 years to play a World Cup match on home soil, ultimately banishing doubts with a decisive performance. The emphatic scoreline puts the U.S. in the driver's seat to progress from Group D, which also contains Australia and Turkey.
Striker Folarin Balogun led the charge with a first-half brace, scoring twice in a three-goal barrage before halftime. Balogun, who was born in Brooklyn and raised in London, chose to play for the Americans in 2023 over England or Nigeria. The striker described the performance as a dreamy night after making a splashy World Cup debut.
The U.S. continued their dominance late in the game when Gio Reyna struck a sensational goal to seal the blowout. Despite a late Paraguayan rally, the Americans displayed sharp teeth and steady teamwork to secure the historic win. This victory marks a successful start for the team as each of the three World Cup co-hosts have now staged a game in the 2026 edition.