The teams walked out to the Alan Parsons classic Sirius, made famous by the 1990s Chicago Bulls.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n The referee and the challenge he\u2019ll face \u2026<\/p>\n \u201cLast November\u2019s \u201cfriendly\u201d in Chester, PA, provided a flare-up for the ages,\u201d Justin Kavanagh writes. \u201cSo there could be quite the grudge-match residue swirling around the field tonight. Three red cards in the first match? Tonight\u2019s ref might be similarly busy. Gustavo G\u00f3mez, especially, might fancy an early reducer.\u201d<\/p>\n That ref will be Danny Makkelle, a 43-year-old from the Netherlands. I\u2019ve been a ref for several years now, but no one asked me. Snub.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The YouTubers I follow insist that Katy Perry\u2019s career is done, but she received a nice welcome as she and a preteen singer closed out the opening festivities.<\/p>\n Katy Perry performs ahead of kick-off. The kind of performance you\u2019d expect from an astronaut. Photograph: Matt McNulty\/FIFA\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.56 EDT<\/p>\n Paraguay\u2019s danger man<\/p>\n A bit of a surprise starter because of an injury concern, Julio Enciso will certainly occupy the attention of the USA\u2019s defensive duo\/trio\/fivesome:<\/p>\n Julio Enciso player guide<\/a>Share<\/a><\/p>\n Not on my bingo card for this session: a discussion of sounds made by predatory birds \u2026<\/p>\n \u201cBald eagles don\u2019t screech,\u201d writes Sebastian Merz from Canada. \u201cThe best way to describe the species\u2018 vocalizations is a gobble or perhaps a chatter. It takes nothing away from the majesticity of the animal, but somehow our neighbours to the south often feel the need to dub it with a hawk screech. There may be a deeper meaning, but I can\u2019t think of it right now.\u201d<\/p>\n OK, but at least we can spell \u201cneighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n All I know about eagles is that I was absolutely terrified when one entered the stadium at the first game of the WUSA, the first attempt at a women\u2019s pro league in the US. How does an animal that small create such a loud noise?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Earlier today \u2026<\/p>\n The host nations are unbeaten so far, though a draw with Bosnia may feel a bit like a loss to Canada. Cyle Larin provided the equalizer for a dominant Canadian side that had given up a goal in the first half.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll want to check out this collection of photos from the occasion, which includes appearances by Alanis Morissette and Michael Bubl\u00e9. Sadly, Rush was unavailable because they\u2019re on tour. (Were they asked, anyway? Imagine being Canadian and walking out onto the field while Tom Sawyer is played by two-thirds of the actual band along with a superb replacement for the late Neil Peart. I also would\u2019ve liked to have seen Metric, Sarah McLachlan and Kids in the Hall.)<\/p>\n Share<\/a> A bit surprising to see Enciso start in the opener, as his injury against Nicaragua seemed to be severe enough to limit his group stage availability. A major boost for Paraguay<\/a> if he\u2019s truly at match fitness, and undoubtedly will be Tyler Adams\u2019 primary marking duty.<\/p>\n Julio Enciso has recovered from injury in time to start against the hosts. Photograph: Alex Livesey\/FIFA\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.46 EDT<\/p>\n Pre-match mailbag I. \u201cParaguay vs the US. A country still scarred by a 19th century civil war, with a contentiously liberal approach to gun ownership, and a history of venerating renegades and outlaws\u2026.versus the USA.\u201d \u2013 Paul Griffin<\/p>\n Waw Waw (no other name given) was also at the Belgium-Saudi Arabia match in 1994. \u201cRFK, scalped a ticket for $25, behind the goal, Saeed running right at me. Belgium missed a bunch of chances.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a> A loud ovation at Los Angeles Stadium as the US trot out in all-white for their warmups. First the starters, working on their three-yard passes. The substitutes have yet to take the field. <\/p>\n Earlier, the stadium screens spotted a man dressed as 1994 Alexi Lalas, long hair and goatee in vibrant orange, before cutting to actual 2026 Alexi Lalas, initially hidden by Fox co-commentator Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Alexi saluted the camera, before cutting back to 1994 Alexi, who offered his own salute. Insert your own bald eagle screech.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Paraguay lineup<\/p>\n According to FIFA\u2019s site, the team will line up like so \u2026<\/p>\n Goalkeeper: Orlando Gill<\/p>\n Defense: Junior Alonso, Gustavo Gomez (captain), Omar Aldarete, Juan Jose Caceres<\/p>\n Midfield: Diego Gomez, Miguel Almiron, Andres Cubas, Damian Bobadilla<\/p>\n Forward: Antonio Sanabria, Julio Enciso<\/p>\n According to our team guide, which correctly predicted the 11 players who\u2019ll start, they\u2019ll line up in more of a 4-2-3-1, with Cubas and Bobadilla making up the \u201c2\u201d while outstanding attacker Enciso is in more of a No. 10 role between Almiron, who had a long stint at Newcastle United between tenures with Atlanta United, and Gomez. That leaves Sanabria as the front-runner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> Chris Richards is IN<\/p>\n A 100% record on our projected lineup, with Chris Richards getting his wish and cracking the opening lineup. So, a nominal lopsided 3-4-2-1 that plays as a 3-2-5 in attack and a 4-4-2 in defense. <\/p>\n The US fared better against Germany after Malik Tillman dropped deeper into midfield and Weston McKennie played more advanced. I would expect similar today, though I wouldn\u2019t discount the potential for something closer to a 4-1-4-1 with Robinson and Freeman operating like full-backs, Tyler Adams behind an attacking line (left to right) of Pulisic-Tillman-McKennie-Dest, and Folarin Balogun taking whatever service he can get.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n A memorial and a warning<\/p>\n Early in the 2022 World Cup<\/a>, a bit of shocking news came across. US journalist Grant Wahl died while covering the tournament. There was no inkling that he was ill.<\/p>\n His wife, epidemiologist C\u00e9line Gounder, has posted a remembrance<\/a> along with a stark warning about disease preparedness or lack thereof.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Preamble<\/p>\n To grasp the significance of the World Cup<\/a> returning to the US of A, consider this …<\/p>\n In much of the world, association football fans are born, not made. Children typically have a favorite club before they can speak, whether they know it or not.<\/p>\n In the USA<\/a>, association football fans are often converts. And a lot of us have origin stories.<\/p>\n Which is why I\u2019m starting my contributions to these proceedings with something from my inbox from Peter Rehwaldt in Kansas City, who describes living in an apartment building with some Dutch students during the 1982 World Cup, when the only coverage they could find was on a Spanish-language station in Chicago:<\/p>\n \u201cThe three of us took over the common lounge area, and since none of us could speak Spanish, we just turned off the sound,\u201d Peter writes. \u201cThe Dutch guys knew a lot of the players, and would give their own play-by-play commentary, which was often both hilarious and not fit for a family setting. In short, World Cup 1982 was a blast.\u201d<\/p>\n Happily for Peter, the Netherlands chose the Kansas City Current\u2019s practice facility as their US home base. (The Current stand sixth in the NWSL at the moment.)<\/p>\n That year was pivotal for me as well. I discovered to my horror that my summer camp experience took place during most of the World Cup. My mother clipped the scores out of the newspaper each day and dropped in the mail, and I had a notebook on which I tracked the group standings. I got home in time to see the final.<\/p>\n In 1994, when I could afford tickets, I found a game I could attend. That\u2019s how I ended up seeing the goal of the tournament, when Saudi Arabia\u2019s Saeed Al-Owairan slalomed through the Belgian defense<\/a> and scored.<\/p>\n And yet, seven years later, association football was all but dead again. Major League Soccer was hanging by a thread. The first attempt at a women\u2019s league had started well but would soon collapse.<\/p>\n Then came 2002, the best World Cup run any living US citizen has seen, unless that person is roughly 100-110 years old and happened to be in Uruguay at a young age.<\/p>\n Since then, the sport has gone onward and upward. At my age, kids were ridiculed for following soccer. Today, when I do substitute teaching assignments, people argue with me over Messi vs. Ronaldo or Real Madrid vs. Barcelona.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to be cynical about this World Cup. Being ambivalent seems perfectly rational. This country may only be unified by one thing …<\/p>\n Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi works his way through the New York Red Bulls defense. Photograph: Peter Joneleit\/AP<\/p>\n Messi, of course. Ronaldo? Really?<\/p>\n The last World Cup showed that this sport had support in the US. The attendance records still stand.<\/p>\n This one won\u2019t be as special. But at least it reminds us of the days when it became cool to support soccer.<\/p>\n (Yes, soccer. We\u2019re going for a non-pedantic stance at the moment.)<\/p>\n Share<\/a>What to expect from ParaguayJulio Enciso celebrates scoring with Miguel Almir\u00f3n during World Cup qualifying. Photograph: C\u00e9sar Olmedo\/Reuters<\/p>\n Paraguay earned their place on football\u2019s greatest stage by going back to their roots: defensive strength and collective intensity. For years the team tried to play a possession-based game without succeeding in either defence or attack. Then, in August 2024, Gustavo Alfaro arrived with a clear message from day one: \u201cParaguayan DNA, intensity and clean sheets. That\u2019s what will take us to the World Cup<\/a>.\u201d He was not wrong.<\/p>\n More from Christian P\u00e9rez and \u00d3scar G\u00f3mez:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n There will be no rousing Hollywood pep talk from Mauricio Pochettino ahead of today\u2019s USMNT World Cup<\/a> opener. He and his players are trusting nearly two years of work since he took the helm \u2013 plus all of the reasons that got them into the sport in the first place.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most important [thing] is not to be disconnected with your emotional relationship with the game,\u201d Pochettino said. \u201cThey need to think tomorrow and play like they are a child \u2013 with no pressure, with no responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Folarin the focal point<\/p>\n The likely starter at striker for the United States will be key to how the team builds up in attack. Jeff Rueter on what we saw from Balogun in the pre-World Cup friendlies:<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Will Chris Richards play?<\/p>\n Most of the conversation surrounding the United States\u2019 buildup to this tournament centered on the health of Chris Richards. The center-back has proven to be an anchor for the US, and the team has looked defensively shaky without him.<\/p>\n He is back in full training and available for selection, but will he play? He spoke about his chances this week:<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Pochettino\u2019s message: Relax<\/p>\n \u201cI was talking with a good friend that won the World Cup<\/a> in 1986 with Argentina,\u201d said Mauricio Pochettino yesterday. \u201cHe said to me, \u2018in relaxation, you become concentrated and focused.\u2019 I think we try to be very professional in every single aspect of our preparation by creating a very good atmosphere where the player can feel comfortable and to embrace and, not to learn, but to understand what we expect\u201d<\/p>\n Read more:<\/p>\n Share<\/a> We are here at SoFi Los Angeles Stadium, at long last.<\/p>\n Not that anyone cares about journalist\u2019s struggled getting into games, but the security situation outside is leaving a lot to be desired. There is one working x-ray machine for the entire media contingent, and security staff are individually inspecting every bag that goes through. It\u2019s taking a while, and it\u2019s hot. And there is no water in the media workroom.<\/p>\n \u2026.But we\u2019re here now! And that\u2019s all that matters.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n We\u2019ll be here for live coverage soon. In the meantime, here\u2019s Alex Abnos on the buildup to today\u2019s game:<\/p>\n Mauricio Pochettino paused. The microphone signal flickered. He tried, for a second time, to say a few things to the 5,500 fans who had gathered in the sun Monday at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, California \u2013 the United States\u2019 World Cup<\/a> home base \u2013 for an open training session. Nothing. Then something. More choppy audio. By the time things came back online, he had developed a quip.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are in the greatest country in the world,\u201d he said in his Rioplatense-accented English. \u201cBut the technology does not work.\u201d<\/p>\n Pochettino\u2019s adaptation to the US soccer scene has not been without hiccups. The Argentinian arrived on a $6m-per-year contract (the largest outlay for a coach in US Soccer history) with a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 featuring some of the most famous clubs and players in the world. His job: to lead a nation more known for excellence in other sports to a historic finish at a World Cup<\/a> they would co-host.<\/p>\n You can read the full report below:<\/p>\n![\"Jeff](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Jeff_Rueter,_L.png\")
Jeff Rueter<\/p>\nJeff Rueter<\/p>\nJeff Rueter<\/p>\n![\"Alexander](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Alexander_Abnos.png\")
Alexander Abnos<\/p>\n