U.S. beats Paraguay 4-1 in World Cup opener

The United States scored four goals in a World Cup match for the first time and beat Paraguay 4-1 in its 2026 FIFA World Cup opener at SoFi Stadium in Southern California on Friday night.

Folarin Balogun, 24, scored twice to become the first American player since 1930 to score multiple goals in a World Cup match. The victory also marked the first time the United States won a World Cup game by three goals since 1930, when it also defeated Paraguay.

The Americans took a 3-0 lead, scoring first when Paraguay's Damián Bobadilla put the ball in his own net in the sixth minute. Balogun, a New York native, scored in the 30th minute and again just before halftime. He received a pass from Malik Tillman and curled a shot into the top-left corner.

U.S. captain Christian Pulisic went down with an injury, and Paraguay scored in the 73rd minute to cut the lead to 3-1. In the final seconds, 23-year-old Gio Reyna scored the fourth goal.

Balogun was born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents and raised in London. He came through the Arsenal academy after being discovered at age eight. He chose to play for the United States over England after a 2023 visit to the U.S., where he said he felt strong support from American fans on social media.