USA vs. Paraguay Prediction & Best Bets

The wait is almost over as the United States Men’s National Team look forward to hosting Paraguay in their 2026 World Cup opener on Friday.

SoFi Stadium in Inglewood sets the stage for the USMNT’s opening game, with both teams determined to hit the ground running in this major tournament.

While the United States’ recent results have not looked good leading into the competition, the co-hosts have been battle-hardened by some tough recent friendlies and they should be more than ready to take on Paraguay in Los Angeles.

USA vs. Paraguay betting picks and predictions

USA to win (-105)

Three defeats and one win don’t make for much momentum for the USMNT going into this match but they have had a challenging run of fixtures to prepare them for this World Cup opener against Paraguay.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side have had four games in 2026, beating Senegal while being on the wrong end of the scoreline against the likes of Belgium, Portugal and Germany.

While the results may not have gone their way, those matches have provided valuable experience against elite-level opposition ahead of a tournament on home soil.

Facing some of the top European sides, while giving fringe players a chance to impress, will have been valuable preparation for Pochettino’s squad and they are tipped to claim all three points against an inconsistent Paraguay side.

Los Guaraníes have managed to win three of their last seven games, with their victories coming against the likes of Mexico, Greece and Nicaragua.

However, they have struggled for consistency against stronger opposition and have often found goals difficult to come by in the biggest fixtures.

South Korea and Morocco proved too strong for Paraguay, as did the USMNT, who beat Los Guaraníes 2-1 when they met back in November last year.

Many of this United States squad will have featured in that game and, backed by the largely home crowd at SoFi Stadium, Pochettino’s men are good value to make a winning start to the 2026 World Cup.

Folarin Balogun anytime goalscorer (+225)

Monaco striker Folarin Balogun has enjoyed a strong season in Ligue 1 and will come into this major tournament brimming with confidence.

The 24-year-old scored 13 goals in the league for Monaco in the 2025/26 campaign, finishing the domestic season strongly and establishing himself as one of the most reliable attacking options available to Pochettino.

Scoring nine goals in his last 12 Ligue 1 games, Balogun comes flying into this tournament, while he will also have fond recent memories of his last encounter with Paraguay.

Bagging the winner for the United States in that 2-1 victory back in November, Balogun is good value to find the back of the net again on Friday in Los Angeles.

Given his current form and ability to make intelligent runs behind opposition defences, he looks well placed to get chances throughout the contest.

Christian Pulisic to score or assist (+120)

Set to play a huge role for the US over the coming weeks, AC Milan forward Christian Pulisic will be a player to look out for.

Having overcome a muscle injury at the back end of the Serie A season, Pulisic was back to his influential best and looked sharp as he returned to full fitness.

Providing an assist against Genoa in Milan’s penultimate league game, the 27-year-old went on to bag a goal and assist in the 3-2 victory over Senegal at the end of last month.

As one of the most creative players in the squad and a regular source of goals from wide areas, Pulisic is likely to be heavily involved whenever the United States create opportunities in the final third.

Given his recent form, the +120 for Pulisic to either score or assist in Friday’s showdown in Inglewood gets the green light here.

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USA vs. Paraguay odds

USA	-105
Tie	+240
Paraguay	+300

USA vs. Paraguay player props

Anytime goalscorer

Christian Pulisic (USA)	+225
Florin Balogun (USA)	+225
Haji Wright (USA)	+225
Alex Arce (Paraguay)	+350
Antonio Sanabria (Paraguay)	+350
Gabriel Avalos (Paraguay)	+350

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.