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Group D · Match 23

United States vs Paraguay — FIFA World Cup 2026

United States national football team flag
United States
USA
VS
Paraguay national football team flag
Paraguay
PAR
📅 June 24, 2026
⏰ 19:00 ET
📍 Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, USA
🏟️ Capacity: 76,416

United States arrive at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with 11 previous appearances, their best result being Semi-finals (1930). Paraguay have 8 appearances on football's biggest stage, with a best finish of Quarter-finals (2010). Both sides qualified via CONCACAF top three and CONMEBOL automatic qualification respectively. This is a rare inter-confederation clash: United States of Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football against Paraguay of South American Football Confederation. Nations from different confederations meet infrequently outside World Cup tournaments.

WC
WC 2026 Editorial
Senior Football Analyst
About · Editorial Policy

Expected Lineups & Formation

Projected starting XIs, tactical shapes, and squad depth for United States vs Paraguay.

Tactical Formation Diagram

Hover or tap an expected starter to open the full player profile and compare both tactical systems.

United States national football team flag

United States

4-3-3 · Coach: Mauricio Pochettino · Squad Profile →
Manager
Mauricio Pochettino
Known for a fluid three-at-the-back system with aggressive wing-backs
1
GK
Matt Turner squad photo for United States, goalkeeper, jersey number 1. Matt Turner
Nottingham
2
RB
Sergiño Dest squad photo for United States, right back, jersey number 2. Sergiño Dest
PSV
4
CB
Chris Richards squad photo for United States, center back, jersey number 4. Chris Richards
Crystal Palace
3
CB
Tim Ream squad photo for United States, center back, jersey number 3. Tim Ream
Fulham
5
LB
Antonee Robinson squad photo for United States, left back, jersey number 5. Antonee Robinson
Fulham
8
CM
Weston McKennie squad photo for United States, central midfielder, jersey number 8. Weston McKennie
Juventus
6
CM
Yunus Musah squad photo for United States, central midfielder, jersey number 6. Yunus Musah
AC Milan
10
RW
Christian Pulisic squad photo for United States, right winger, jersey number 10. Christian Pulisic
AC Milan
7
AM
Gio Reyna squad photo for United States, attacking midfielder, jersey number 7. Gio Reyna
Borussia Dortmund
9
FW
Ricardo Pepi squad photo for United States, forward, jersey number 9. Ricardo Pepi
PSV
11
LW
Tim Weah squad photo for United States, left winger, jersey number 11. Tim Weah
Juventus
Substitutes Bench
14
CM
Tyler Adams squad photo for United States, central midfielder, jersey number 14. Tyler Adams
Bournemouth
20
FW
Folarin Balogun squad photo for United States, forward, jersey number 20. Folarin Balogun
Monaco
12
GK
Ethan Horvath squad photo for United States, goalkeeper, jersey number 12. Ethan Horvath
Cardiff
13
CB
Mark McKenzie squad photo for United States, center back, jersey number 13. Mark McKenzie
Genk
15
CM
Johnny Cardoso squad photo for United States, central midfielder, jersey number 15. Johnny Cardoso
Betis
⚠️ No major injuries reported
Paraguay national football team flag

Paraguay

4-4-2 · Coach: Alfredo Arias · Squad Profile →
Manager
Alfredo Arias
Known for a structured 4-4-2 block with disciplined positional play
1
GK
Antony Silva squad photo for Paraguay, goalkeeper, jersey number 1. Antony Silva
Cerro Porteño
4
CB
Fabián Balbuena squad photo for Paraguay, center back, jersey number 4. Fabián Balbuena
Corinthians
3
CB
Omar Alderete squad photo for Paraguay, center back, jersey number 3. Omar Alderete
Getafe
2
RB
Alberto Espínola squad photo for Paraguay, right back, jersey number 2. Alberto Espínola
Cerro Porteño
6
LB
Junior Alonso squad photo for Paraguay, left back, jersey number 6. Junior Alonso
Krasnodar
5
CM
Andrés Cubas squad photo for Paraguay, central midfielder, jersey number 5. Andrés Cubas
Vancouver
8
CM
Mathías Villasanti squad photo for Paraguay, central midfielder, jersey number 8. Mathías Villasanti
Grêmio
10
RW
Miguel Almirón squad photo for Paraguay, right winger, jersey number 10. Miguel Almirón
Newcastle
7
LW
Derlis González squad photo for Paraguay, left winger, jersey number 7. Derlis González
Olimpia
9
FW
Adam Bareiro squad photo for Paraguay, forward, jersey number 9. Adam Bareiro
River Plate
11
FW
Julio Enciso squad photo for Paraguay, forward, jersey number 11. Julio Enciso
Brighton
Substitutes Bench
14
AM
Óscar Romero squad photo for Paraguay, attacking midfielder, jersey number 14. Óscar Romero
Racing
12
GK
Rodrigo Morínigo squad photo for Paraguay, goalkeeper, jersey number 12. Rodrigo Morínigo
Sportivo Ameliano
15
CM
Alejandro Romero Gamarra squad photo for Paraguay, central midfielder, jersey number 15. Alejandro Romero Gamarra
Internacional
16
FW
Antonio Sanabria squad photo for Paraguay, forward, jersey number 16. Antonio Sanabria
Torino
20
FW
Gabriel Ávalos squad photo for Paraguay, forward, jersey number 20. Gabriel Ávalos
Olimpia
⚠️ No major injuries reported

United States vs Paraguay — Historic Context & Meeting Record

World Cup pedigree, confederation background, and what this fixture means for both nations.

United States lead the all-time series 5-2-2 across 9 senior international meetings.
DateCompetitionVenueResult
17 Jul 1930FIFA World CupMontevideo, UruguayParaguay 0–3 United States
4 Jun 1997FriendlySt. Louis, United StatesUnited States 0–0 Paraguay
14 Mar 1998FriendlySan Diego, United StatesUnited States 2–2 Paraguay
6 Jul 2003FriendlyColumbus, United StatesUnited States 2–0 Paraguay
2 Jul 2007Copa AméricaBarinas, VenezuelaUnited States 1–3 Paraguay
29 Mar 2011FriendlyNashville, United StatesUnited States 0–1 Paraguay
11 Jun 2016Copa AméricaPhiladelphia, United StatesUnited States 1–0 Paraguay
27 Mar 2018FriendlyCary, United StatesUnited States 1–0 Paraguay
15 Nov 2025FriendlyChester, United StatesUnited States 2–1 Paraguay
United States flag

United States

ConfederationConfederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football
World Cup Apps11
Best ResultSemi-finals (1930)
QualificationCONCACAF top three
Paraguay flag

Paraguay

ConfederationSouth American Football Confederation
World Cup Apps8
Best ResultQuarter-finals (2010)
QualificationCONMEBOL automatic qualification

📍 Venue Fact Sheet — Arrowhead Stadium

Opened1972 (renovated 2010)
SurfaceBermuda grass
Capacity76,416
ArchitectKivett & Myers
WC 2026 Matches4
Notable EventsSuper Bowl LIV watch party, NFL loudest crowd record

Notable Matches at This Venue

YearCompetitionTeamsResult
2026FIFA World Cup4 matches scheduledTBC
Full venue profile →

Team Form & Recent Outings

How United States and Paraguay arrive at the World Cup based on their last five competitive fixtures.

United States flag

United States

WWWLL
3W 0D 2L · 11 GF · 10 GA · 0 CS
Verified data — source: martj42/international_results (results.csv) · updated 2026-03-31
L 0-2
31 Mar 2026 · Friendly · vs Portugal (H)
L 2-5
28 Mar 2026 · Friendly · vs Belgium (H)
W 5-1
18 Nov 2025 · Friendly · vs Uruguay (H)
W 2-1
15 Nov 2025 · Friendly · vs Paraguay (H)
W 2-1
14 Oct 2025 · Friendly · vs Australia (H)
Paraguay flag

Paraguay

LLWWL
2W 0D 3L · 5 GF · 7 GA · 1 CS
Verified data — source: martj42/international_results (results.csv) · updated 2026-03-31
L 1-2
31 Mar 2026 · Friendly · vs Morocco (N)
W 1-0
27 Mar 2026 · Friendly · vs Greece (A)
W 2-1
18 Nov 2025 · Friendly · vs Mexico (N)
L 1-2
15 Nov 2025 · Friendly · vs United States (A)
L 0-2
14 Oct 2025 · Friendly · vs South Korea (A)

Key Players to Watch

Six individuals who could decide the outcome of United States vs Paraguay at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

United States flag

United States

Player to Watch
Ricardo Pepi United States player profile photo
Ricardo Pepi
FW · PSV · Age 28
76 caps · 1 goals
Most carries into opposition box

Ricardo Pepi has been instrumental in United States's qualifying campaign, delivering clutch performances in high-pressure away fixtures. Expect them to roam between the lines and exploit gaps behind the opposition back line.

Folarin Balogun United States player profile photo
Folarin Balogun
FW · Monaco · Age 23
25 caps · 10 goals
Aerial duel winner — 68% success rate

Folarin Balogun has been instrumental in United States's qualifying campaign, delivering clutch performances in high-pressure away fixtures. Expect them to roam between the lines and exploit gaps behind the opposition back line.

Gio Reyna United States player profile photo
Gio Reyna
AM · Borussia Dortmund · Age 33
37 caps · 27 goals
Top scorer in qualifying campaign

Gio Reyna has been instrumental in United States's qualifying campaign, delivering clutch performances in high-pressure away fixtures. Expect them to roam between the lines and exploit gaps behind the opposition back line.

Paraguay flag

Paraguay

Player to Watch
Adam Bareiro Paraguay player profile photo
Adam Bareiro
FW · River Plate · Age 28
76 caps · 1 goals
Most carries into opposition box

Adam Bareiro has been instrumental in Paraguay's qualifying campaign, delivering clutch performances in high-pressure away fixtures. Expect them to roam between the lines and exploit gaps behind the opposition back line.

Julio Enciso Paraguay player profile photo
Julio Enciso
FW · Brighton · Age 28
76 caps · 1 goals
Most carries into opposition box

Julio Enciso has been instrumental in Paraguay's qualifying campaign, delivering clutch performances in high-pressure away fixtures. Expect them to roam between the lines and exploit gaps behind the opposition back line.

Antonio Sanabria Paraguay player profile photo
Antonio Sanabria
FW · Torino · Age 30
38 caps · 13 goals
Key press trigger in high block system

A mainstay of the Paraguay national team with over 26 caps, Antonio Sanabria brings leadership and technical quality. Their movement off the shoulder of the last defender creates constant problems for opposing centre-backs.

Player Ratings

Pre-match player rating index for each expected starter. Official player ratings will update automatically after the match once fixture player stats are available.

United States flag

United States

4-3-3 expected XI

Team Avg 6.82
Attack6.9
Midfield6.87
Defence6.74
GK6.67
Matt Turner player rating card image for United States, goalkeeper, jersey number 1. Matt Turner GK - Nottingham
6.67
Sergiño Dest player rating card image for United States, right back, jersey number 2. Sergiño Dest RB - PSV
6.81
Chris Richards player rating card image for United States, center back, jersey number 4. Chris Richards CB - Crystal Palace
6.75
Tim Ream player rating card image for United States, center back, jersey number 3. Tim Ream CB - Fulham
6.72
Antonee Robinson player rating card image for United States, left back, jersey number 5. Antonee Robinson LB - Fulham
6.7
Weston McKennie player rating card image for United States, central midfielder, jersey number 8. Weston McKennie CM - Juventus
6.9
Yunus Musah player rating card image for United States, central midfielder, jersey number 6. Yunus Musah CM - AC Milan
6.9
Christian Pulisic player rating card image for United States, right winger, jersey number 10. Christian Pulisic RW - AC Milan
6.92
Gio Reyna player rating card image for United States, attacking midfielder, jersey number 7. Gio Reyna AM - Borussia Dortmund
6.82
Ricardo Pepi player rating card image for United States, forward, jersey number 9. Ricardo Pepi FW - PSV
6.81
Tim Weah player rating card image for United States, left winger, jersey number 11. Tim Weah LW - Juventus
6.97
Confidence 88% - projection model only. Player ratings will be replaced by verified post-match grades after full time.
Paraguay flag

Paraguay

4-4-2 expected XI

Team Avg 6.76
Attack6.81
Midfield6.81
Defence6.67
GK6.8
Antony Silva player rating card image for Paraguay, goalkeeper, jersey number 1. Antony Silva GK - Cerro Porteño
6.8
Fabián Balbuena player rating card image for Paraguay, center back, jersey number 4. Fabián Balbuena CB - Corinthians
6.62
Omar Alderete player rating card image for Paraguay, center back, jersey number 3. Omar Alderete CB - Getafe
6.72
Alberto Espínola player rating card image for Paraguay, right back, jersey number 2. Alberto Espínola RB - Cerro Porteño
6.73
Junior Alonso player rating card image for Paraguay, left back, jersey number 6. Junior Alonso LB - Krasnodar
6.61
Andrés Cubas player rating card image for Paraguay, central midfielder, jersey number 5. Andrés Cubas CM - Vancouver
6.75
Mathías Villasanti player rating card image for Paraguay, central midfielder, jersey number 8. Mathías Villasanti CM - Grêmio
6.87
Miguel Almirón player rating card image for Paraguay, right winger, jersey number 10. Miguel Almirón RW - Newcastle
6.83
Derlis González player rating card image for Paraguay, left winger, jersey number 7. Derlis González LW - Olimpia
6.81
Adam Bareiro player rating card image for Paraguay, forward, jersey number 9. Adam Bareiro FW - River Plate
6.8
Julio Enciso player rating card image for Paraguay, forward, jersey number 11. Julio Enciso FW - Brighton
6.79
Confidence 88% - projection model only. Player ratings will be replaced by verified post-match grades after full time.

Tactical Analysis

A deep dive into how Mauricio Pochettino and Alfredo Arias will set their sides up tactically for this FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage clash.

United States flag

United States — 4-3-3

System Overview

A balanced system with width from full-backs and a single pivot shielding the back four.

Attacking Patterns

United States's set-piece threat is significant — they scored 12 goals from corners and free-kicks in qualifying.

Defensive Shape

Paraguay's back three allows them to match United States man-for-man in advanced areas.

Paraguay flag

Paraguay — 4-4-2

System Overview

A classic flat midfield that prioritises verticality through central channels.

Attacking Patterns

United States favours quick transitions within 5 seconds of winning possession — a direct counter-attacking style.

Defensive Shape

United States drops into a mid-block when leading, compressing vertical space between the lines.

Key Tactical Battle to Watch

The decisive tactical battle will be United States's three-man defence against Paraguay's wide attacking threats. If Mauricio Pochettino can neutralise Paraguay's primary creator in central zones, United States should control the tempo.

Match Prediction & AI Forecast

Data-driven outlook for United States vs Paraguay based on squad depth, recent form, and historical head-to-head trends.

AI Forecast
FavouriteUnited States
Confidence72%
Likely Scorelines2-0 · 2-1 · 1-0

Factors for United States

  • United States possess greater squad depth and European club experience
  • United States's home-continent advantage and familiar climate conditions

Factors for Paraguay

  • Paraguay have shown resilience in tight knockout-style fixtures
  • Paraguay's compact defensive block could frustrate United States's build-up
This forecast is generated by an editorial AI model using squad-depth heuristics and confederation strength indices. It is not a betting tip.
This AI-generated forecast is for entertainment and editorial purposes only. It does not constitute betting advice. Always gamble responsibly.

Tickets & Pricing

Secure your seat for United States vs Paraguay at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City on June 24, 2026.

Category 3
$60 USD
Upper tier seating behind the goal
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Category 2
$120 USD
Mid-level excellent sightlines
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Category 1
$210 USD
Lower bowl premium seats
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Hospitality
$450+ USD
VIP lounge, premium dining & open bar
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Frequently Asked Questions — United States vs Paraguay

Who is playing in United States vs Paraguay at the FIFA World Cup 2026?

United States face Paraguay on June 24, 2026 at Arrowhead Stadium. The match features United States's 4-3-3 system under head coach Mauricio Pochettino against Paraguay's 4-4-2 shape managed by Alfredo Arias.

What time does United States vs Paraguay kick off?

Kick-off is scheduled for the local match time shown above. Check your local broadcaster for timezone conversion. FIFA recommends arriving at the stadium at least 90 minutes before kick-off.

Where is United States vs Paraguay being played?

The match takes place at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, USA. The stadium has a capacity of 76,416 spectators.

How to buy FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets for United States vs Paraguay?

Tickets are available through the official FIFA Ticketing portal at fifa.com/tickets. Categories range from $60 (Category 3) to $450+ (Hospitality). Create a FIFA ID and select your preferred seating tier during the sales phase.

What formation will United States and Paraguay use?

United States typically line up in a 4-3-3 formation under Mauricio Pochettino, while Paraguay favour a 4-4-2 system with Alfredo Arias. Expected lineups are listed in the team sheets above.

Who are the key players to watch in United States vs Paraguay?

For United States, watch Matt Turner in attack. For Paraguay, Antony Silva leads the line. Both teams rely on experienced midfield engines to control tempo.

What TV channel is broadcasting United States vs Paraguay?

Broadcast rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 are held by Fox Sports (USA), TelevisaUnivision (Mexico), TSN (Canada), BBC/ITV (UK), ARD/ZDF (Germany), and beIN Sports (Middle East). Check your local listings for the exact channel in your territory.

Has United States ever reached the World Cup knockout stage?

United States have reached the knockout rounds in multiple tournaments, with their best ever finish being Semi-finals (1930).

Has Paraguay ever reached the World Cup knockout stage?

Paraguay have reached the knockout rounds in multiple tournaments, with their best ever finish being Quarter-finals (2010).

All tickets are sold through the official FIFA Ticketing Portal. Create a FIFA ID to purchase Category 1–3 or Hospitality packages. Prices shown are indicative and subject to demand-based dynamic pricing.