Folarin Balogun has made his mark at the highest level, scoring twice in a ruthless United States opening ceremony World Cup 2026 fixture against Paraguay. 4-1 was the result in the Los Angeles clash, which saw a performance that even had their own home fans buzzing and optimistic of an historic World Cup campaign, as they crushed their South American opponents with a vibrant attacking display.
The American team was perhaps one of the most impressive displays to be witnessed at the World Cup so far, as they dominated Paraguay with a stylish performance that, even with Christian Pulisic, who only played 45 minutes as a precautionary measure, sparked optimism for a strong campaign. Striker Balogun was the star of the show, bagging himself two goals, which would have been three; however, one was denied for offside.
Balogun’s second of the night was a showstopper, with the Monaco man scoring with power and precision after driving through the defence before rifling into the top corner. Pulisic later quelled concerns regarding his injury, after being withdrawn at half-time with an ‘unimportant’ knock, suggesting that it was ‘a smart’ move.
Although the team displayed passion on the pitch and left supporters energised by the performance and a truly dominant 4-1, they received more heat from their social media following due to the sheer amount of empty seats visible in the stadium. Fans lambasted the FIFA system with its variable ticket prices, which are proving to be a real issue and questioned how it worked, with many fans criticising the ticketing strategy.
Even in the opening ceremony where Tyla and Rema headlined with others, sections remained visible. The official attendance figures later emerged with a figure of 70,492, and by kick-off the atmosphere had heightened.
The win signifies a huge opening game for USA, who are hoping to host an even better tournament. With Balogun, Pulisic, McKennie and co, the USA put in a strong performance. Their next match is against Australia, as they aim to consolidate their position further in the competition.
