USMNT Finalises Squad for World Cup Opener as Tournament Commences
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on Thursday with Mexico versus South Africa, while the United States men’s national team prepares for their opening fixture against Paraguay on Friday night.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially commences on Thursday, 11 June, with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa. All 48 participating teams have now arrived in the host nations of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking the start of the summer tournament. The United States men’s national team (USMNT) begins their campaign on Friday, 12 June, against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium.
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino is in the final stages of selecting his starting lineup for the Paraguay match. Fitness issues within the squad have been resolved, allowing the full 26-player roster to train together for the first time since the camp opened on 27 May in Irvine, California. This joint session signals a shift in the camp’s tone, moving from the positive atmosphere of pre-tournament friendlies to a more focused, business-like preparation phase.
The USMNT’s recent friendlies included a victory against Senegal and a defeat to Germany. Based on those performances, seven players are expected to start against Paraguay: Alex Freeman, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Sergino Dest, Christian Pulisic, and Folarin Balogun. Chris Richards is also likely to enter the lineup following several days of training.
Significant selection uncertainty remains in the goalkeeper position and the midfield. Matt Turner hopes to regain the starting role from Matt Freese, who usurped him as the starter at the 2022 World Cup, citing his recent form with the New England Revolution. In midfield, Pochettino faces a choice between Sebastian Berhalter and Gio Reyna, who were selected against Senegal, and Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman, who started against Germany.
Coverage of the tournament will be extensive across the CBS Sports Golazo Network. The network will provide up to 12 hours of live programming per matchday, including Morning Footy, Golazo Matchday, and Golazo Matchnight. The USMNT’s match against Paraguay is scheduled for 9 p.m. on Friday, 12 June, and will be broadcast on FOX.
