The United States is set to face Paraguay on Friday night in the opening match of its first home World Cup in 32 years. A jubilant crowd in Southern California arrived early to support an American team with high expectations as the tournament's three co-hosts begin their campaigns.
High Hopes for the U.S. Team
Led by midfielder Christian Pulisic and a core of experienced players, the U.S. has climbed to No. 17 in FIFA's rankings. The team harbors realistic ambitions of winning its group and advancing past the knockout stage for only the second time in its World Cup history.
First Match Under Pochettino
The Americans' first World Cup match under coach Mauricio Pochettino takes place at SoFi Stadium, the multibillion-dollar venue opened in 2020 as home to the NFL's Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. The avant-garde arena typically features an artificial turf field, but real grass has been installed for the summer soccer showcase.
Festive Atmosphere
Fans began filling the stadium and its surrounding campus hours before kickoff. Thousands of supporters wore U.S. shirts and chanted players' names, while many others donned elaborate costumes, ranging from the Statue of Liberty to Founding Fathers attire.
Growing Soccer Popularity
The U.S. last hosted the men's World Cup in 1994, when the Americans won just one of four matches in a tournament won by Brazil. Since then, soccer's popularity has steadily grown, with youth participation booming and Major League Soccer, which began in 1996, developing into a solid professional league.
Tournament Opener
The largest World Cup in history kicked off Thursday with co-host Mexico defeating South Africa 2-0. Co-host Canada rallied for a 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina in its opener earlier Friday in Toronto.
The Americans will play two of their three group-stage matches in Inglewood, with a trip to Seattle next week in between.
