USA vs Paraguay Prediction – 12.06.2026
The United States open their home World Cup on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles — one of the most iconic settings in world sport. Paraguay are the first Group D opponent for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, in what will be one of the highest-profile matches of the tournament’s opening weekend. The pressure on the USMNT could not be higher.
USA vs Paraguay Tips
- USA to Win;
- USA Over 1.5 Goals;
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USA Preview and News
Mauricio Pochettino has announced his official 26-man roster, headlined by AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic — the team’s most capped player with 84 international appearances — alongside Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams. Half the squad appeared at the 2022 World Cup, while the other half will be experiencing the tournament for the first time. The average age of just 26 years makes this one of the youngest squads the US has sent to a World Cup in modern history.
Tactically, Pochettino has settled on a 3-4-3 formation that the team debuted in the final five matches of 2025 — earning four wins and a draw in that stretch. Wing-backs Antonee Robinson and Joe Scally will be asked to drive forward and create numerical advantages, while the three centre-backs provide defensive security. The system was tested in March warm-up friendlies against Belgium (a 2-5 loss) and Portugal (0-2), with Pochettino publicly calling the Belgium result a “reality check.”
Notable inclusions include Gio Reyna — who has not started a game for his club since December — and América winger Alan Zendejas, who earned his spot after four goals and two assists in five Liga MX playoff games. The most discussed omission is Real Salt Lake’s Diego Luna, who had been considered a Pochettino favourite.
Paraguay Preview and News
Paraguay return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, when they reached the quarter-finals before losing to eventual champions Spain. Under Gustavo Alfaro — who previously guided Ecuador to the 2022 World Cup — they qualified through a typically brutal CONMEBOL campaign, sneaking in as the sixth-placed team with 28 points, matching Brazil’s tally on the final day.
Alfaro’s Paraguay are a pragmatic, defensive-minded outfit. Their 18 qualifying matches were the lowest-scoring in CONMEBOL — just 14 goals scored and 10 conceded — which tells you everything about how they intend to approach this tournament. Captain Gustavo Gómez, the experienced Palmeiras centre-back with over 88 caps, marshals the defence alongside Sunderland’s Omar Alderete.
Going forward, the creativity comes from Atlanta United’s Miguel Almirón — drifting in from the left in the No.10 role — and young forward Julio Enciso of Strasbourg, who has the potential to cause real problems for any defence in the world on his best day. Teenager Diego León of Manchester United is another wildcard with the pace and directness to change a game from the bench.
Head-to-Head Matches
The USA have the better of the head-to-head record against Paraguay, with 2 wins to Paraguay’s 1 and no draws in their three meetings. The most recent was a 3-1 USA win in a March 2018 friendly. Paraguay beat the USA 2-1 in a November 2025 friendly, however — their most recent encounter — which will give Alfaro’s side some confidence heading in.
USA vs Paraguay Betting Preview
Playing at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, in front of a sell-out crowd, with a squad that has been building under Pochettino for over a year — the USA have all the conditions to win this opener comfortably. Paraguay will sit deep and try to frustrate them, and Almirón and Enciso are capable of landing a sucker punch on the counter. But the home advantage and the quality in Pochettino’s attack should be enough to get the job done. USA to win is the call.