The USA World Cup opening ceremony features performances from Katy Perry, Future, Anitta and Tyla ahead of the USMNT's opener vs Paraguay.

Shortly before the U.S. men’s soccer team begins its 2026 World Cup against Paraguay on Friday night, the game status for Alabama native Chris Richards has been announced. Richards will start for the Americans when they face Paraguay at 8 p.m. at SoFi Stadium.

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Canadian singer and Bollywood actress Nora Fatehi and French singer Vegedream have taken the stage at BMO Field in Toronto as part of 2026 World Cup opening ceremony festivities. They began by performing, 'Siir Siir,' an official 2026 World Cup song inspired by a chant from Moroccan soccer fans during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

TORONTO (AP) — Luke Reece never played hockey growing up in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga. Instead, he played soccer, like many Canadians who are now adults. The sport is so popular it has surpassed hockey and all other sports in youth participation,

Abdulla, whose day job is working as a transit security officer in Seattle’s light rail system, played with the semi-pro Seattle Somali Stars before retiring in 2017. He was set to serve as a volunteer ambassador for the World Cup, welcoming fans and helping them get to the stadium. Now, he said, he won’t even watch the games on TV.

Looking for USA World Cup gear? Find official Nike jerseys, game tickets, and the full USMNT 2026 schedule here.

FIFA has blamed the empty seats during the World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara on fans who watched from the concourses.