The 2026 FIFA World Cup opens for the United States on Friday, June 12, with a group stage clash against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The game begins at 9 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on Fox.
According to ESPN, the moneyline lists the USA at +110, with the draw at +225 and Paraguay at +285. The spread favors the USA by -0.5 goals at even odds. Experts from ESPN recommend the USA total team goals over 1.5 at +135 as a primary bet.
Liz Loza noted that the U.S. has scored at least two goals in 10 out of 26 matches since Mauricio Pochettino took over. "The U.S. team's attacking talent is fluid, deep and top-tier," Loza said in the ESPN report.
Predicted scorers and goal trends
Regarding goal scorers, Yahoo Sports senior betting analyst Ben Fawkes suggested Folarin Balogun is the top choice. "I would go Balogun," Fawkes said during the Yahoo Sports video analysis. "I think he was around plus 200."
Fawkes believes Christian Pulisic will act as a facilitator rather than a primary scorer, stating, "I think that Pulisic finds him, so I think he gets an assist, or two in this game," per Yahoo Sports.
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Total goals are set at 2.5, with the over priced at +145 and the under at -180, ESPN confirmed. Victoria Matiash from ESPN argued for the under, citing Paraguay's disciplined structure under manager Gustavo Alfaro. "There's a very good reason that under 2.5 goals is set at -180," Matiash said. She added that Paraguay would be "more content with a 0-0 or 1-1 result," according to ESPN.
Recent history shows a 2-1 victory for the Americans last November, though the match ended in a bench-clearing brawl, ESPN experts added. The U.S. recorded 13 fouls in that game, significantly higher than their average. Loza predicted continued aggression, recommending a bet on USA fouls committed at 13+ for +125.
"The United States should come out with marked aggression and increased savvy," Loza said, per ESPN.
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