Co-hosts, United States, begin their 2026 World Cup campaign when they come up against Paraguay on Saturday at 2am (UK time).
The Stars and Stripes will be looking to impress on home ground and go further than they have before. They reached the quarter-final at the 2002 World Cup but that remains their best effort at the competition.
This will be Paraguay’s first appearance at the World Cup since 2010. They reached the quarter-final stage in that tournament but have failed to live up to their promise since then.
These two nations have met seven times over the years but not in the World Cup since 1930. United States have won the last three matches between the two and will be keen to keep that run going.
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United States vs Paraguay team news
The goalkeeper debate refuses to die down heading into the Paraguay opener. Matt Turner has been among the best shot-stoppers in MLS this season by save percentage and goal prevention metrics, but this is Matt Freese’s job to lose. The New York City FC goalkeeper took over starting duties in the build-up to the Concacaf Gold Cup and hasn’t relinquished it since. Mauricio Pochettino looks set to hand him the nod at SoFi Stadium on Saturday.
The bigger selection headache sits in defence. Chris Richards is dealing with an ankle ligament injury suffered in May. Pochettino has acknowledged publicly that the days before the game are key to his assessment. The Crystal Palace centre-back, when fit, is a lock in the heart of the backline. If Richards cannot go, Alex Freeman would step in alongside Mark McKenzie and Tim Ream. At 38, Ream remains an eyebrow-raising selection at this level, but Pochettino has kept faith with the Charlotte FC veteran throughout his tenure. Fulham’s Antonee Robinson anchors the left as a wing-back. Sergiño Dest of PSV Eindhoven provides the attacking thrust on the opposite flank.
In the engine room, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie form the double pivot that everything runs through. Adams anchors the midfield alongside McKennie, providing the defensive screen that allows Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman to operate freely in the final third. Tillman of Bayer Leverkusen carries the most momentum of any player heading into the tournament. No one on the team created more chances than Tillman’s five during the most recent international window.
Up front, Pulisic leads the line as captain but carries a question mark over his form. He has gone eight matches without a goal for the national team, and his extended drought for AC Milan since late December only deepens the concern. His performances for the USMNT have historically outpaced his club numbers, however, and the home crowd at SoFi Stadium should help. Balogun arrives from Monaco in sharp form. He scored 19 goals across all competitions last season, and he looks set to lead the line. Ricardo Pepi brings an infectious pressing energy from the bench, with Gio Reyna, Brenden Aaronson and Tim Weah among those competing for minutes as the tournament progresses.
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Gatito Fernández starts in goal. The veteran Cerro Porteño shot-stopper brings experience and big-game composure, and Gustavo Alfaro has shown no desire to look elsewhere. In front of him, captain Gustavo Gómez and Omar Alderete form one of the most disciplined centre-back partnerships CONMEBOL qualifying produced. Gómez, the Palmeiras skipper, marshals the back four with authority. Alderete, meanwhile, reads the game cleanly and rarely gets caught out of position. Together, they conceded just ten goals throughout qualification.
However, the biggest story heading into the opener is the fitness of Julio Enciso. The Strasbourg forward picked up a muscle contusion in Paraguay’s final warm-up win over Nicaragua and looks likely to sit out the USA game. Enciso was in tears as he left the pitch on a stretcher, and his absence leaves a real hole in Paraguay’s attacking threat. Nevertheless, Alfaro retains options. Ramón Sosa and Miguel Almirón take the wide roles, with Palmeiras man Sosa carrying fine club form into the tournament. Most importantly, Almirón remains the heartbeat of everything Paraguay do going forward.
Antonio Sanabria leads the line as the physical reference point up front, holding play, bringing runners into play and winning aerial duels. In midfield, Damián Bobadilla and Andrés Cubas anchor the engine room, sitting narrow and deep to protect the back four. Brighton’s Diego Gómez adds technical quality just ahead of them, connecting defence to attack.
United States vs Paraguay predicted lineups
United States (3-4-1-2): Freese; Freeman, McKenzie, Ream; Dest, Adams, McKennie, Robinson; Tillman; Balogun, Pulisic.
Paraguay (4-2-3-1): Fernandez; Caceres, Alonso, Alderete, G. Gomez; Bobadilla, Cubas; Sosa, D. Gomez, Almiron; Sanabria.
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