The United States and Paraguay teams are preparing for their debut clash in the 2026 World Cup. The opening match of Group D is scheduled for 10pm (Brasília time) tonight, in a clash that will take place at the Los Angeles stadium.
Football fans will have several options to follow the decisive game live. The broadcast will be carried out by Globo, ge tv and sportv. In addition, ge.globo’s real-time page will offer complete coverage and exclusive cuts of the duel.
The host nation, the United States, is participating in the World Cup for the second time at home, recalling the 1994 edition, where they were eliminated by Brazil in the round of 16. In the last World Cup, in Qatar, the team also fell in the round of 16, against the Netherlands. Their best historical performance was in 1930, reaching the semi-finals, the year in which they also faced Paraguay for the only time in the World Cup, with the American winning 3-0. Recently, in friendlies, the team lost to Portugal (3-2), Belgium (5-2) and Germany (2-1), but beat Senegal (3-2). This home edition represents another opportunity to overcome for the American team, which seeks to go beyond the round of 16, a persistent obstacle since its best campaign.
Returning to the World Cup since the 2010 edition in South Africa, where they reached the quarter-finals, Paraguay secured their place in the tournament by finishing sixth in the South American Qualifiers. The Paraguayan team played three friendlies this season, with victories over Nicaragua (4-0) and Greece (1-0), and a defeat to Morocco (2-1).
Tactics and formations for the initial clash
Coach Maurício Pochettino, ahead of the United States team, should opt for a formation with three defenders in his first match. There is a strong likelihood that Mark McKenzie will be kept in defense given the recent absence of starter Chris Richards through injury. In midfield, the team’s strength lies in the performance of McKennie and Adams, who stood out in the European season. The attack will feature Pulisic, who ended a goal drought against Senegal, and Balogun, Monaco’s top scorer with 19 goals last season.
- Matt Freese
- Alexander Freeman
- Mark McKenzie (or Richards)
- Tim Ream
- Sergiño Dest
- Weston McKennie
- Adams
- Tillman
- Miles
- Pulisic
- Balogun
Paraguayan team details likely lineup
Under the command of coach Gustavo Alfaro, the Paraguayan team maintained suspense over the initial formation until the last moment. However, everything indicates that Julio Enciso, the main doubt, partially participated in the final activity and should be selected. In goal, Orlando Gill was the Argentine coach’s choice, surpassing Gatito Fernández. The team will feature three players who play in Brazilian football: defenders Gustavo Gómez (Palmeiras) and Junior Alonso (Atlético-MG), and midfielder Damián Bobadilla (São Paulo).
- Orlando Gill
- Juan Caceres
- Gustavo Gómez
- Omar Alderete
- Junior Alonso
- Andrés Cubas
- Damian Bobadilla
- Diego Gómez
- Miguel Almiron
- Julio Enciso (or Maurício)
- Tony Sanabria
Referee team assigned to the match
- Arbitrator: Danny Desmond Makkelie (Netherlands)
- Assistants: Hessel Steegstra and Jan De Vries (both from the Netherlands)
- Fourth Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
- VAR: Carlos Del Cerro Grande (Spain)
Streaming options for fans
- Real Time: The ge portal will offer play-by-play coverage of the match (with direct access on its online platform).
- Live Stream: Globo, ge tv, sportv, NSports, SBT and Cazé TV channels will show the clash.
