The United States officially launched its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on home soil as Mauricio Pochettino’s side faced Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium. The occasion represented a landmark moment for American soccer, with the World Cup returning to the country for the first time since the memorable 1994 tournament.

A packed stadium, elaborate entertainment and a vibrant atmosphere underlined the significance of the event as the United States completed the opening sequence of matches hosted across the three co-host nations.

Yet amid the celebrations, one notable figure was missing: U.S. President Donald Trump.

A Historic Night for American Football

The United States entered the tournament carrying the hopes of a nation eager to make an impact on football’s biggest stage.

Following opening ceremonies in Mexico City and Toronto earlier in the week, Los Angeles hosted its own pre-match spectacle before the Americans began their World Cup journey against Paraguay.

Fans packed the stadium hours before kickoff, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the country’s previous experience as World Cup hosts more than three decades ago.

For many supporters, it was a symbolic moment marking the start of what organizers hope will be a transformative tournament for soccer in the United States.

Why Trump Was Not in Attendance?

Despite the significance of the occasion, President Trump did not travel to California for the opening fixture.

According to officials connected to the White House’s World Cup coordination efforts, the President’s schedule prevented him from attending the match.

Andrew Giuliani, who oversees the White House’s World Cup task force, indicated that multiple commitments in Washington made it difficult for the President to be present for the tournament opener.

Not the only host nation leader missing

Trump was not the only leader of a host nation absent from an opening World Cup fixture. Earlier in the tournament, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also chose not to attend Mexico’s opening match against South Africa at the iconic Azteca Stadium.

The star-studded show featured performances from K-pop sensation Lisa, Brazilian singer Anitta, South African artist Tyla and Nigerian star Rema, while rapper Future also took part in the festivities. The ceremony lasted approximately 13 minutes and served as a vibrant curtain-raiser before attention turned to the action on the pitch.

White House Commitments Take Priority

One of the primary reasons behind Trump’s absence is a major event scheduled in Washington over the coming days.

The President is expected to remain in the capital ahead of a large-scale UFC Freedom 250 celebration planned at the White House.

The event is set to coincide with Trump’s 80th birthday celebrations and has become a key commitment on his schedule, making a cross-country trip to Los Angeles impractical.

Still Expected to Play a Role During the Tournament

Although he missed the opening match, sources close to the World Cup organizing effort suggest Trump is expected to remain engaged with the tournament as it progresses.

With matches taking place across the United States over the next several weeks, there are likely to be future opportunities for presidential involvement, particularly if the host nation advances deep into the competition.

For now, however, the spotlight remains firmly on the players as the United States begins its quest to make history on home soil.

The USMNT and Paraguay kicked off at 9 p.m. ET from Los Angeles Stadium. The USMNT, coached by Mauricio Pochettino, enters Friday at the No. 17 spot in the FIFA World Rankings.

The United States’ World Cup bid got off to a dream start when Paraguay’s Damián Bobadilla scored an own goal in the sixth minute, giving the Americans an early lead in the highly anticipated group stage matchup.

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Christian Pulisic of the United State celebrates with teammates their first goal, an own goal scored by Paraguay’s Damian Bobadilla on June 12, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (:Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images)

Fans inside the packed stadium in Inglewood, California, roared as the USMNT seized an early advantage.

Folarin Balogun doubled the United States’ lead in the 30th minute. The New York native celebrated enthusiastically with his teammates after scoring his first World Cup goal, a milestone moment in his international career.

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Balogun’s strike gave the U.S. a two-goal cushion in the 30th minute, the third-fastest the Americans have reached that mark in a World Cup match. The only time Team USA managed to put the ball in the net sooner was in 2002 against Portugal (29th minute) and in a 1930 meeting with Paraguay (15th minute).

Folarin Balogun of USA and Gustavo Gomez of Paraguay compete for the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium on June 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.  (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Balogun struck again just before halftime, extending the United States’ lead and sending the crowd in Inglewood into a frenzy. Balogun raced onto a pinpoint pass from teammate Malik Tillman before curling a shot into the top-left corner for a standout goal.

Team USA headed into halftime with a commanding 3-0 lead.

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This story is developing. Check back for updates.

England were victims of a theft of their training equipment before their arrival in Kansas City on Saturday.

The Football Association is trying to ascertain what was stolen, with balls and boots among the items feared to have been taken, after vehicles transferring equipment to their Swope Soccer Village base in Kansas City were broken into.

Thomas Tuchel and his squad will arrive in Kansas City on Saturday afternoon and the equipment was due to be in place beforehand.

Police officers, who are in touch with the FA, were on site on Friday night dealing with the matter.

It is understood two arrests have been made in connection with the episode.

The theft could potentially disrupt some of Tuchel’s preparations for their World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday (21:00 BST).

The England players will undertake their first full training day on Sunday.

This week, the UFC will host an unprecedented event at the White House, putting on a series of fights to celebrate 250 years of the United States.

The UFC’s cage is being constructed on the South Lawn, where seven fights will take place – on the 80th birthday of US president Donald Trump, coincidentally.

• Follow LIVE: UFC White House press conference plays out at Lincoln Memorial

Trump is a close friend of UFC president and CEO Dana White, who promised the greatest card in MMA history. And although fans have expressed disappointment in the actual quality of the bout list, it is still a strong collection of contests.

Here’s all you need to know:

When is the UFC White House event?

The event, named ‘UFC Freedom 250’, will take place on Sunday 14 June. The fights will begin at 5pm PT / 7pm CT / 8pm ET (1am BST on Monday).

How can I watch it?

The event will stream live on Paramount+ in the US and UK. TNT Sports and HBO Max also allow access to the fights in the UK. It was thought that CBS could show some of the action in the US, but Dana White said at the final pre-fight press conference: “It’s very simple, it’s on Paramount+. The whole show is on Paramount+.”

Who is fighting?

Subject to change; ‘C’ denotes champion:

Ilia Topuria (C) vs Justin Gaethje (lightweight title) – related: Topuria teases Trump in Oval Office

Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane (interim heavyweight title)

Sean O’Malley vs Aiemann Zahabi (bantamweight)

Derrick Lewis vs Josh Hokit (heavyweight) – related: Hokit to fight at White House after Trump’s ringside request

Mauricio Ruffy vs Michael Chandler (lightweight)

Bo Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus (middleweight) – related: Daukaus claims he doesn’t deserve to fight at White House

Diego Lopes vs Steve Garcia (featherweight)

Who can attend? Can I get a ticket?

There will be no general admission for the White House fights, which are expected to be invite-only. However, fans can apply for free tickets to watch the fights from the Ellipse park, next to the White House.

White, 56, said in May: “[Trump] wants this to be mostly for the military, so there’s gonna be 4,300 people there. I just literally went over it right now; 4,300 people, and most of them will be military. 100 per cent [it’s a ‘thank you’ to the military].

“We’re gonna give away about 85,000 tickets [to the Ellipse]. There’s a process, you have to register for tickets, and they’re free […] For those who don’t know, the Ellipse is a massive park. Literally, you’ll be able to see the fight[s] from the Ellipse, but we have screens, we’ve got stages, we’ve got music.”

What other events will take place this week?

A press conference will take place at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday 12 June, beginning at 5.30pm PT / 7.30pm CT / 8.30pm ET (1.30am BST on Saturday).

Then, on Saturday 13 June, a fan festival will play out at the Ellipse, a large park located next to the White House. That will begin at 12.30pm PT / 2.30pm CT / 3.30pm ET (8.30pm BST). Thereafter, the ceremonial weigh-in for the fight card will get started at 5.30pm PT / 7.30pm CT / 8.30pm ET (1.30am BST on Sunday), followed by a concert from the Zac Brown Band at 6.30pm PT / 8.30pm CT / 9.30pm ET (2.30am BST on Sunday).

Finally, the fight card itself will take place on Sunday 14 June, beginning at 5pm PT / 7pm CT / 8pm ET (1am BST on Monday).

What will security be like?

Speaking last September, White said: “The last time I was at the White House, I went up on the roof of the White House, and they’ve got snipers with .50 cals all over the roof of the White House. It’s pretty crazy. But yes, I mean, the security is gonna be a massive issue, because at the end of the day, secret service’s job is to protect the president.”

In late April, Mr Trump was seemingly targeted by a shooter at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and alleged suspect Cole Allen was later charged with attempted assassination.

In fact, White was present and said afterwards: “It started to get noisy. Tables started getting flipped over, guys running with guns and they were screaming ‘get down!’ I didn’t get down. It was f***ing awesome, and I literally took every minute of it in. It was a pretty crazy, unique experience. We were sitting right in front of the table, right in front of where the president was. Nobody got tackled but guys came in looking for shooters, I thought the shooter was over by us or something.”

The future of New Orleans Saints star running back Alvin Kamara continues to be one of the most intriguing NFL storylines this offseason. With a hefty salary cap hit and the team bringing in Travis Etienne Jr., the Saints are weighing options around Kamara ahead of next season.

A social media post from the veteran on Friday added more fuel to the speculation. Kamara shared a post that centered on the importance of building new relationships and connections on X, and it immediately caught the attention of Saints fans, who are monitoring his situation.

“Haven’t had time for anybody outside of my circle lately. Building…,” Kamara wrote.

While the message was vague and didn’t make a direct reference to football and his uncertain future with the Saints, many interpreted it as potentially significant. This is given the ongoing questions about whether Alvin Kamara will remain in New Orleans in the upcoming season.

Although the veteran running back remains under contract with the Saints, the franchise has openly acknowledged that his long-term fit with the organization is still being evaluated. It is noteworthy that the team is navigating salary cap challenges and potential roster transition.

The timing of Alvin Kamara’s post has, however, left many guessing what could be going on behind the scenes regarding his future. His absence from the Saints’ OTAs this week has further ignited the rumors around him, but he’s expected to show up for the mandatory minicamp.

Analyst explores how Alvin Kamara’s return will impact the Saints’ depth chart

With the Saints yet to make a move on the future of Alvin Kamara, it looks like the running back will be on the team’s 53-man roster for the 2026 season. Saints Wire’s John Sigler explores how the veteran’s return will impact the team’s running back depth chart this fall.

“We know that Etienne and Kamara are safe (barring a hiccup in contract talks that leads to Kamara being traded),” Sigler wrote. “That leaves two spots for five players, with the likeliest candidates looking like Miller, Neal, and Estime.

“That’s not to say Chandler and Donaldson don’t have a chance, but there’s less invested in those guys than their competition, or at least not enough to give them an edge. They have a steeper hill to climb.”

It remains to be seen how much Kamara will be involved in the Saints’ run game next season with the presence of Travis Etienne. He appeared in just 11 games last season, recording a career-low 471 rushing yards and a touchdown. Nonetheless, his legacy at the franchise speaks for itself.