LOS ANGELES – In its highly anticipated group stage opener at FIFA World Cup 2026, the U.S. Men’s National Team started the tournament with an epic 4-1 victory in front of 70,492 spirited fans at Los Angeles Stadium. Striker Folarin Balogun scored his first World Cup goals, a brace in the first half, and midfielder Gio Reyna iced the match in the dying moments, as the USA collected three points in its first action of the world’s greatest sporting competition.

The seventh-largest crowd to ever watch the USMNT in a World Cup match, and largest since 1994, witnessed a special performance as the USMNT scored the most goals in program history for a FIFA World Cup match.

With the three points, the U.S. sits atop the table in Group D for the moment. The other two nations in the group, Australia and Türkiye, have not played yet and will face each other on Saturday, June 13 at BC Place Vancouver.

U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino made one change to the starting XI from the final send-off match against Germany in Chicago on June 6. Center back Chris Richards returned to the lineup after missing time recovering from an ankle injury. Richards, who marshalled the defense expertly with veteran captain Tim Ream and 21-year-old debutant Alex Freeman on either side of him, is one of five starters who made his FIFA World Cup debut along with Balogun, Freeman, midfielder Malik Tillman and goalkeeper Matt Freese.

Both sides pushed hard into the attack right out of the gate. Paraguay tested Freese in his FIFA World Cup debut with a chance inside the box just 76 seconds into the match, but the U.S. answered right back with an attempt of their own from Balogun that led to a save from Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.

The U.S. got on the scoresheet early with an own goal following a transition moment and terrific teamwork between forward Christian Pulisic and midfielder Weston McKennie, two of six returners from 2022 in Qatar in today’s starting lineup. Pulisic split two defenders to slip a pass to McKennie a step outside the six-yard box. McKennie’s pass attempt to Balogun across the top of goal box was then bundled into the goal by Paraguayan midfielder Damián Bobadilla.

Trailing with less than 10 minutes gone, Paraguay responded with more physicality, but that didn’t deter the steady Americans, who settled into the game, built up a massive edge in possession and continued to find fluidity in its attack. This led to a promising moment in the 17th minute when Balogun switched the ball to right wingback Sergiño Dest with space from the top box. Paraguay blocked Dest’s attempt to find Balogun’s run toward goal from the edge of the six-yard box, which led to a U.S. corner kick.

It appeared that the U.S. doubled its lead in the 28th minute when McKennie slipped a pass to Balogun inside a congested penatly box. Balogun finished with a composed shot from close range, but the goal was correctly called back due to an offside on Pulisic on the initial penetrating pass.

Just a few minutes later, Balogun scored one that stuck. Pulisic was again involved in the play, pushing the ball into the box with an audacious dribble. His pinpoint cross toward the penalty spot met Balogun and the striker finished crisply with a shot that traveled into the lower right corner to record his first goal at a FIFA World Cup.

In first-half stoppage time, Balogun scored again to secure his brace on the evening. After receiving a long ball from Tillman, Balogun rode a sliding tackle extremely well, cut into the middle to beat another Paraguayan defender and delivered a gorgeous, curling strike with his left foot into the into the upper left corner, sending the home crowd into an enthusiastic frenzy which witnessed the USMNT leading 3-0 at halftime for the first time in FIFA World Cup history.

Paraguay would pull one back in the 73rd minute following a free kick when Mauricio scored to make it, 3-1, but the Americans would easily see out game and added another goal, something that could be critical at the end of group play if goal difference comes into play.

The U.S. didn’t sit back and continued to create chances until the match’s last minute. Just before the final whistle in the eighth minute of stoppage time, midfielder Gio Reyna, who entered the match as a substitute in the 82nd minute, tacked on one more goal for the home side. Reyna finished an expert strike with the outside of his right foot which spun exquisitely into the left side of the goal to put an exclamation point on an already superb performance from the U.S. in its opener.

The USA’s domination was such that it outshot Paraguay 16-9 and allowed just one shot on goal, which was the South American’s lone score.

The U.S. continues its World Cup journey with two more fixtures in Group D. First, the team travels up the coast to Seattle, Wash. for a meeting with Australia on Friday, June 19 at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT. Group play concludes back in Los Angeles versus Türkiye on Thursday, June 25 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.