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USA – Paraguay live: Follow the Group D opener

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Team USA takes centre stage on Friday evening as the 2026 World Cup’s third opening ceremony unfolds at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, featuring pop star Katy Perry. The USMNT faces Paraguay in their tournament opener, a moment of reckoning for American soccer on home soil amid visa concerns, soaring ticket prices, and competing sports dominating the conversation. Follow our blog to learn more.

Official lineups for USA-Paraguay:

United States: Matt Freese, Sergino Dest, ⁠Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Alex Freeman, Tyler ⁠Adams, Weston ​McKennie, Malik Tillman, Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun

Paraguay: Orlando Gill, Omar Alderete, Juan Jose Caceres, ​Junior Alonso, Gustavo Gomez, Diego Gomez, Miguel Almiron, Andres Cubas, Damian Bobadilla, Antonio Sanabria, Julio Enciso

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Let’s go!

Referee Danny Makkelie blows the whistle and the match is underway.

The anthems ring out

Paraguay’s national anthem fills SoFi Stadium, followed by the “Star-Spangled Banner” as the crowd joins in unison. Thousands of voices echo through the arena!

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Katy Perry takes the stage

@Gary Vasquez, Reuters

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About 10 minutes to kick off!

Flag-bearers from all countries process across the SoFi stadium.

@Daniel Cole, Reuters

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“La Albirroja” during warm up

@Matthew Childs, Reuters

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Official lineups

Paraguay: Orlando Gill, Omar Alderete, Juan Jose Caceres, ​Junior Alonso, Gustavo Gomez, Diego Gomez, Miguel Almiron, Andres Cubas, Damian Bobadilla, Antonio Sanabria, Julio Enciso

United States: Matt Freese, Sergino Dest, ⁠Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Alex Freeman, Tyler ⁠Adams, Weston ​McKennie, Malik Tillman, Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun

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Anitta adds Brazilian fire

Brazilian sensation Anitta brings the energy and rhythm of Latin America to the stage, a fitting tribute to the tournament’s North American hosts.

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Lisa brings K-pop royalty to SoFi

BLACKPINK’s Lisa is a global phenomenon. The Thai-born superstar has transcended music to appear in HBO’s hit series White Lotus. Her presence signals the World Cup’s embrace of global pop culture.

@Lisi Niesner, Reuters

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A galaxy of global stars takes the stage

Future and Tyla kick things off with high energy.

@Lisi Niesner, Reuters

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Paraguay’s starting XI

Team USA starting XI

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Trump called US World Cup team before first match

President Donald Trump called the US World Cup squad ahead of their debut match against Paraguay, the team said Friday.

In a video shared on social media, the US Soccer Men’s National Team said the 79-year-old leader called Thursday night with a message of support.

Andrew Giuliani, the head of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, can be seen speaking with Trump on speakerphone, telling the president: “I’m standing in front of 26 champions and a great coach,” before handing the phone to US head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

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“I just called to say you’re a fantastic guy, a fantastic coach, and you’re all about your record and your success, and I know how great the players are. I think you’ve got a really good chance of going all the way,” Trump said.

“I just want to wish you a lot of luck,” he added.

“Thank you so much for your support, Mr. President,” responded Pochettino.

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The World Cup returns to America

The United States launch their World Cup challenge on Friday, taking on Paraguay in the first game in the tournament on US soil for 32 years.

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Welcome soccer/football fans!

Welcome to our liveblog covering the third opening ceremony of the World Cup and the first match of Group D between the USA and Paraguay!

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For the first time since 1994, the United States hosts the World Cup. On Friday at 9:30pm ET, Team USA takes on Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for their Group D opener.

The USMNT and Paraguay have faced each other three times in competitive matches, with the US holding a 2-1 record. Their most recent encounter came during World Cup qualifying in 2021, when the Americans won 3-0 in Columbus. Paraguay, ranked 69th in the world, will be looking to pull off an upset on American soil.

The US enters the tournament with growing momentum, having won their last four friendlies and boasting a squad that blends experienced European-based talent with emerging MLS stars. Coach Gregg Berhalter has overseen a team seeking to prove that American soccer belongs on the world stage. Over 70,000 supporters are expected to fill SoFi Stadium for what promises to be a charged atmosphere – a test of whether US.soccer can capture the nation’s imagination.

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The match will be preceded by a 15-minute opening ceremony featuring American pop icon Katy Perry and performances celebrating the host nation’s diversity and soccer culture.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)

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George Pickens reveals true feelings on Jerry Jones’ comments for Cowboys WR over contract extension talks

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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens responded to Jerry Jones’ comments about his future with the franchise.

On Tuesday, Jones had high praise for Pickens. He also highlighted the possibility of him playing for the Cowboys for the rest of his NFL career. Pickens expressed his appreciation for those kind words on Thursday.

“Super excited,” Pickens said. “I’m always super happy when someone thinks highly of me, so shout out to Jerry.”

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The Cowboys acquired George Pickens via a trade with the Steelers in May 2025. In 17 games, he posted an impressive 1,429 yards on 93 receptions and nine touchdowns. There was a lot of chatter about a potential contract extension following his performance.

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However, in February, the Cowboys placed a franchise tag on him. Pickens signed the $27.3 million franchise tag in April. While speaking about the wide receiver, Jerry Jones said that he expects great things from Pickens in 2026.

“He’s a valued part of our aspirations and our potential success,” Jones said. “I hope that he comes out here and is the most prolific, successful receiver in the NFL this year. And how would you like to be a free agent and with his credentials and step out there and have a year like that? I wish all of that because if that happens, that (would be) good for us.

“This can be a very win-win thing that we’ve done here, us and George being on the team. Make no mistake about it, George could be a Cowboy for the rest of his career and that’d be a long time. Make no mistake about it. This (franchise tag) just fit for us and thank goodness it fit for him and we got it done.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Pickens with the No. 52 pick in 2022. In three seasons, he recorded 2,841 yards on 174 receptions and 21 TDs.


ALSO READ: “No deadline drama this time”: NFL fans react as George Pickens officially enters July 15 deadline as a franchised player without long-term deal

ALSO READ: George Pickens faces lofty expectations from former WR after officially going through franchise tag extension deadline

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Dak Prescott “excited” to play alongside George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb in the 2026 season

Dak Prescott has already built a rapport with CeeDee Lamb over the past few years. Last season, he also built chemistry with George Pickens, providing him with more help on offense.

On Thursday, Prescott was questioned about his strategy heading into Year 2 with Lamb and Pickens by his side.

“It’s exciting. They help me be comfortable,” Prescott said. “Those guys are ridiculous in their ability to get one, ability to win in one-on-one. Right now, it’s just about continuing to communicate about the zones and where they need to be in certain timings. … They’re just a complement to this whole offense.”

The Cowboys play the New York Giants on the road in their season-opener on Sept. 13.