Team USA will look to get its World Cup 2026 campaign off to a winning start on Friday as it takes on defensively solid Paraguay at SoFi Stadium.
While the USMNT is blessed with arguably its strongest-ever squad, boasting the likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Chris Richards and Tyler Adams, they come into this tournament still looking somewhat disjointed. Its final three warm-up games saw a win over Senegal sandwiched between defeats against Portugal and Germany. That trio of friendlies highlighted the tournament co-hosts' frailties at the back.
Team USA faces a Paraguay team that is more than capable of deflating what looks set to be a party-like atmosphere at kickoff in LA. Gustavo Alfaro's men boast a strong backline capable of suffocating the strongest attacking sides. Its options up front have been significantly weakened, however, with its main striker, Julio Enciso, ruled out of this opener with a thigh injury.
USA takes on Paraguay in this Group D match on Friday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. PT local time. That makes it a 9 p.m. ET start elsewhere in the US and Canada on Friday, and a 2 a.m. BST start in the UK and an 11 a.m. AEST kickoff in Australia on Saturday.
Nicknamed "Captain America," skipper Christian Pulisic has scored 33 goals in 86 career appearances for Team USA.
Richard Heathcote/FIFA/Getty Images Livestream USA vs. Paraguay in the US in English
Exclusive English live broadcast rights for every World Cup 2026 match are with Fox, with games set to be shown on Fox and FS1. This Group B match will be shown on Fox.
The cheapest option for most cord-cutters will be the Fox One streaming app, which will carry each match.
If you don't have access to either channel in your cable lineup, there are several online alternatives. A number of the major live TV streaming services, such as YouTube TV, DirecTV and Hulu Plus Live TV, carry both Fox and FS1.
Fox's direct-to-consumer streaming service launched in August last year. Fox One starts at $20 a month or $200 a year and gives you access to Fox's complete TV portfolio, including sports-related channels such as Fox Deportes, Fox Sports, B1G, FS1, FS2 and local Fox stations. New subscribers can get a three-day free trial.
You can watch Fox and FS1 on Fubo via the service's $74-per-month Pro Plan. Click here to see which local channels you get in your region with Fubo. Read our Fubo review.
For $83 a month, YouTube TV's standard plan will get you Fox and FS1 along with a wide array of other channels.
Plug in your ZIP code on YouTube TV's welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area.
DirecTV's MySports genre package includes access to both channels. New subscribers can sign up and access it for free for 5 days, then the price is $50 a month for the first two months. After that, the price reverts to its normal rate of $65 per month.
Livestream USA vs. Paraguay in the US with Spanish commentary
Spanish-language broadcast rights in the US are with NBCUniversal: Telemundo, which will show 92 games, and the remaining 12 will be broadcast on Universo. Both channels are available to stream on Peacock, with the service set to offer Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound. Today's tournament opener will be shown on Telemundo.
Peacock currently costs $11 per month for the ad-supported Peacock Premium plan and $17 per month for the ad-free Peacock Premium Plus plan. Watch all the action from Telemundo and Universo on the platform.
Livestream USA vs. Paraguay in the US for free
As well as serving as a hub for World Cup content, including documentaries, match highlights and replays, free streaming service Tubi will also be simulcasting Fox's coverage of the USA's opening match.
If you're a Xumo customer, you'll also be able to watch these matches for free on Xumo Play in Spanish.
Tubi TV offers considerably more free movies than TV shows, but it continues to grow its extensive library and its live channel lineup. This ad-supported network doesn't require an account, although signing up for one enables you to save favorites and resume playback if you switch between devices.
How to watch the 2026 World Cup using a VPN
If you're traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the World Cup action while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming.
It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds. Additionally, it can be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, providing an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security.
However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN use to access region-specific content. If you're considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform's terms of service to ensure compliance.
If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider's installation instructions to ensure you're connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN use is crucial.
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Livestream USA vs. Paraguay in the UK for free
Free-to-air networks BBC and ITV are once again sharing broadcasting duties for the World Cup, with this match set to be shown on BBC1. The match will also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
You'll be able to watch the game online for free via the network's on-demand streaming service, BBC iPlayer.
With an app that's available for Android and Apple mobile devices, as well as a vast array of smart TVs and streaming boxes, all you need is a valid UK TV license to stream the game.
Livestream USA vs. Paraguay in Australia for free
It's great news for soccer fans Down Under: Every match of the 2026 World Cup will be broadcast free on SBS in Australia.
Viewers can livestream World Cup coverage on the free-to-use SBS On Demand service.
The platform has dedicated apps for Android and iOS, and you can also access the service on Android TV, Amazon Fire TV stick, Apple TV and most smart TVs.
Livestream USA vs. Paraguay in Canada
Broadcast rights for this summer's World Cup in Canada are with Bell Media, who are set to air all matches in English on TSN and CTV, and in French on RDS. That also means coverage will be available on the TSN Plus streaming platform.
TSN Plus is a streaming service that costs CA$8 a month and also offers coverage of PGA Tour Live golf, NFL games, F1, Nascar and the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments.
