USMNT Faces Paraguay in Group D Opener as Pochettino Sets Victory Standard
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino rejects inspirational rhetoric, insisting success is defined solely by winning the tournament as the United States begins its campaign against Paraguay.
The United States Men’s National Team commences its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on Friday, 12 June, hosting Paraguay in the Group D opener at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time, marking the start of the tournament’s expanded 48-team field. The match represents the opening fixture for the United States, which was drawn into Group D alongside Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who took charge in September 2024, has established a strict performance metric for the squad. Pochettino stated that success for the tournament is defined solely by winning the World Cup, rejecting inspirational pre-match rhetoric in favour of internal psychological preparation. Defender Chris Richa is listed as part of the squad context for the opening encounter.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, featuring an expanded field of 48 teams across 16 host cities. The tournament runs from 11 June through 19 July 2026, with 104 matches scheduled in total. The United States automatically qualified as one of the three host nations, joining Canada and Mexico in the expanded format.
English-language coverage in the United States will be broadcast on Fox and FS1, with streaming available via fubo, the Fox Sports app, and the Fox Sports website. Spanish-language coverage is provided by Telemundo and Universo, streamable on Peacock and the Telemundo App. The expanded format allows for more knockout-round games and greater international participation than previous 32-team tournaments.
The tournament concludes with the final on Sunday, 19 July 2026, at MetLife Stadium, referred to as New York-New Jersey Stadium by FIFA. The final will feature a half-time show headlined by Madonna, Shakira, and BTS, curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin. This marks the first half-time show in a football World Cup final, an initiative first announced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino in March of the previous year.
