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The United States men’s national team made a statement to open its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, routing Paraguay 4-1 last week behind two goals from Folarin Balogun.
The U.S. struck less than seven minutes in, taking a 1-0 lead when Paraguay’s Damian Bobadilla redirected the ball into his own net. Fans inside the packed stadium in Inglewood, California, roared as the USMNT seized an early advantage.
The result gave the United States its largest World Cup victory margin since 1930, when the Americans won twice by 3–0 scores in the tournament’s inaugural edition.
After opening the tournament in Southern California, the USMNT will stay on the West Coast, shifting north to Seattle for their next group-stage match against Australia at 3 p.m. ET.
WATCH USA VS AUSTRALIA ON FOX ONE
Australia opened its World Cup campaign last week with a 2-0 win over Türkiye.
Under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the USMNT entered the tournament as the No. 17 team in the FIFA World Rankings. FIFA determines its world rankings using the Elo rating system, which rewards teams for wins and penalizes them for losses while also factoring in the strength of the competition.
Team USA’s star midfielder Christian Pulisic’s availability remains a question after he was substituted out of last week’s win over Paraguay with a left calf issue. Pulisic said the move was precautionary after he took a kick to the calf, adding that he was “really hoping that it’s nothing.”
Pochettino said he will consult the medical staff before deciding whether Pulisic can play in a pivotal Group D matchup. The result of the match could go a long way toward determining which team sits atop the group next week.
“Tonight – the day before the game – we have a meeting with our medical area and we will assess the whole group, the players and tomorrow we will communicate on the things that we cannot agree [on] tonight,” Pochettino told reporters on Thursday. “He’s involv[ed], he’s much better from Friday. We’ll see.”
WATCH USA VS AUSTRALIA
This year’s World Cup features an expanded field of 48 teams.
Here’s how to watch the game, including start time, TV information and streaming options.
How to Watch United States vs Australia
When: Friday, June 19, 2026, at 3 p.m. ET
Where: Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
TV: FOX
Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One, Watch free on Tubi, FOX Sports.
