The 2026 World Cup continues as the United States faces Paraguay in their opening match. After Mexico and Canada kicked off the tournament, it is now the turn of the third host nation to take the spotlight. The match will take place in the early hours of Saturday (UK time) at the Los Angeles Stadium.
Match Preview
The United States last hosted a World Cup match over three decades ago, finishing third in 1994 before being eliminated by eventual champions Brazil in the round of 16. Since then, their best performance was reaching the quarter-finals in 2002. Now under the guidance of former Tottenham, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino, the USMNT has a strong opportunity to surpass the last-eight stage, though they will need some luck along the way.
Paraguay returns to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, when they lost to eventual winners Spain in a hard-fought quarter-final. The days of Roque Santa Cruz, Robert Acuna, Paulo da Silva, and Nelson Haedo Valdez are over, and new star Julio Enciso's World Cup dream is in doubt after he was stretchered off in tears during the final warm-up game.
USA and Paraguay have met once before at a World Cup, back in 1930. Both teams will be eager to start their 2026 campaigns positively, with Turkey and Australia also in their group.
How to Watch USA vs Paraguay for Free
TV channel: In the UK, the match will be broadcast live and free-to-air on BBC One. Coverage begins at 1:30 am BST on Sunday morning, with kick-off at 2:00 am.
Live stream: UK viewers can also watch the match online via BBC iPlayer or the BBC website.
