USA v Paraguay prediction, lineups & tips: World Cup 2026 Group D opener

Mauricio Pochettino finally gets his first FIFA World Cup 2026 game as a manager on Saturday, and it comes with the full weight of co-host expectation behind it. The USA open Group D at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles against Paraguay, a side that finished sixth in CONMEBOL qualifying but arrived here having beaten Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay along the way. This is not a fixture the Stars and Stripes can afford to take lightly, and, to their credit, Pochettino is not doing so.

The USA were spared the grind of CONCACAF qualifying, giving Pochettino almost two years to build a high-pressing, transition-heavy side around Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie. The preparation has not been entirely smooth. The Americans won just one of their four friendlies in 2026, beating Senegal 3-2 before losing to Belgium, Portugal and Germany. That 2-1 defeat to Germany last week, despite Antonee Robinson's brilliant leveller, raised questions about the defence Pochettino plans to field here.

There is genuine optimism, though. Ranked 16th in the world, the USA have reached the knockout stage in each of their last three World Cup appearances. At Qatar 2022 they went out in the round of 16, beaten 3-1 by the Netherlands. Pochettino wants more, considerably more. Asked at Thursday's pre-match press conference what would constitute success this summer, he was unambiguous. "For me, successful is to win," he said. "It's win tomorrow, and win after that. If we don't arrive to the final, and we don't win the World Cup, how can we talk about 'successful?'"

Paraguay's route to this tournament was dramatic. Gustavo Alfaro, the third Argentinian coach to take charge of La Albirroja at a World Cup, took over in August 2024 with the team having collected just five points from their opening six qualifying matches. He assembled a nine-game unbeaten run that included home wins over Argentina and Uruguay, and Paraguay confirmed their place at the tournament with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador in their 17th fixture.

Their defence was the foundation of it all. Paraguay kept ten clean sheets and conceded only ten goals across all 18 CONMEBOL qualifying games. They scored just 14, the joint-third fewest in the section. This is a team built to frustrate, to cede possession, and to hurt you on the counter or from a set piece. Alfaro describes his philosophy plainly. When he arrived he spoke of "Paraguayan DNA, intensity and clean sheets" as the pillars of everything. It worked.

Pochettino spoke at Thursday's press conference about respect for his opposite number. "Paraguay know only how to be competitive and aggressive," he said. "Gustavo Alfaro is doing a great job and I think it's going to be really tough." He added that all 26 players in the squad are available for selection and that the time for motivational speeches has passed. "I said to the players, don't expect an unbelievable speech on Friday," Pochettino told reporters. "If you are not ready, it's impossible to perform."

Pochettino is expected to set his side up in a back three, with Ream at its heart and Richards potentially slotting back in alongside him. Balogun appears the favourite to lead the line ahead of Pepi and Wright, with Pulisic and Tillman operating in the two behind him. For Paraguay, Alfaro's preferred 4-4-2 should see Sanabria partner whoever is fit up front, with Almiron driving from midfield.

USA: Freese; McKenzie, Richards, Ream; Dest, Adams, McKennie, A Robinson; Tillman, Pulisic; Balogun

Paraguay: R Fernandez; Alderete, G Gomez, Alonso, Sanchez; Almiron, Bobadilla, D Gomez, Caballero; Enciso, Sanabria

USA v Paraguay kicks off at 02:00 BST on Saturday, 13 June 2026. The match is being broadcast live in the UK on BBC One, with streaming available on BBC iPlayer. In the United States, coverage is on Fox Sports and Telemundo.