In a significant display of support, Secretary of State Marco Rubio led the official U.S. delegation from the Trump administration at the opening match of the United States men's national team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The event took place at Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium on Friday, drawing a crowd exceeding 70,000 spectators.
The match ended in an emphatic 4-1 victory for the United States over Paraguay in Group D, marking the most substantial win for the U.S. men's team in World Cup history.
Rubio expressed his enthusiasm on his official account on X, describing the evening as "an incredible and historic night for the U.S. men's team." He felt "honored to join over 70,000 fans at the first match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 hosted in the United States."
While former President Donald Trump was not present at the stadium, he personally reached out to coach Mauricio Pochettino and the team captain on Thursday, offering encouragement by stating that "the pressure is off" and advising them to "have fun."
Rubio's presence also served a diplomatic purpose; he took the opportunity to meet with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña to discuss topics such as regional security, trade, investments, and cooperation in emerging technologies. The State Department emphasized the goal of furthering the strategic partnership between the United States and Paraguay.
Peña, who is considered one of the Latin American leaders most aligned with Trump, traveled to the U.S. between June 11 and 15 to support his national team in their World Cup debut.
Also in attendance was FIFA President Gianni Infantino, observing from the stands.
Highlights from the Match
On the field, the standout performance came from forward Folarin Balogun, who scored twice, becoming the first American to achieve a double in a World Cup match since Bert Patenaude in 1930.
The game began with an own goal by Paraguayan Damián Bobadilla in the seventh minute, following a combination play between Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie. Balogun increased the lead in the 31st minute with an assist from Pulisic and netted his second goal in the first-half stoppage time, giving the U.S. a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime.
It was the first time in history that the U.S. ended the first half with a three-goal lead in a World Cup match.
Paraguay managed to score in the 73rd minute, but Gio Reyna, who entered in the 82nd minute, secured the 4-1 final score in stoppage time.
The attendance of 70,492 was the highest for a U.S. men's World Cup match since 1994, the last time the nation hosted the tournament.
Trump congratulated the team on Truth Social this Saturday, saying, "Congratulations to Team USA for their great 4-1 victory over a very good Paraguay team. Keep it up!"
Coach Pochettino expressed being "very, very, very proud" of the team's performance following their triumph.
The United States is set to face Australia in their next World Cup match on June 19 in Seattle.
Key Questions About the U.S. Men's Soccer Team at the World Cup
Who led the U.S. delegation at the FIFA 2026 World Cup opener?
Secretary of State Marco Rubio led the U.S. delegation at the opening match of the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
What was the outcome of the United States vs. Paraguay match?
The United States defeated Paraguay with a 4-1 score in their World Cup opener.
Who scored for the U.S. team in the match against Paraguay?
Folarin Balogun scored twice, while Gio Reyna added another goal for the U.S. team.