Afghanistan, June 13 -- The United States opened its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay on Friday, powered by a two-goal performance from Folarin Balogun in front of a packed home crowd in Los Angeles.
Playing at the 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium, the tournament co-hosts took control early and secured their first three points in Group D, boosting hopes of a deep run in the competition.
The victory marked an important start for the United States, which is hosting the World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico. It is the first men's World Cup to be jointly hosted by three countries and the largest edition of the tournament, featuring 48 teams.
The United States entered the tournament ranked 17th in the FIFA rank...