World Cup 2026 odds: Paraguay vs. USA betting picks
Group D action in the 2026 World Cup starts Friday night from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles — also the site of Super Bowl 61 next February – as the United States faces Paraguay. If the Americans hope to win the group, and they are favoured, they can’t afford a loss.
Check out our full list of 2026 FIFA World Cup odds.
How to watch Paraguay vs. USA & match info
When: Friday, 9 ET, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
TV: TSN, FOX, Telemundo
Weather: SoFi Stadium has a transparent canopy as a roof
Paraguay vs. USA Group D Betting Odds
Team USA checks in as -105 favourites on the soccer odds with Paraguay +295 and a draw +245.
Paraguay vs. Team USA predicted starting XI lineups
Paraguay: Gill (keeper), Caceres, Gomez, Alderete, Alonso, Cubas, Bobadilla, Gomez, Enciso, Almiron, Sanabria.
USA: Freese (keeper), Freeman, McKenzie, Ream, Robinson, Tillman, Adams, Dest, McKennie, Pulisic, Balogun
Paraguay World Cup odds and news
Paraguay is ranked 40th in the world by FIFA as the country competes in the World Cup for the ninth time overall and first since South Africa 2010 when it lost in the quarterfinals to Spain. Overall, Paraguay has seven wins, 10 draws and 10 losses in the World Cup with 30 goals scored and 38 allowed. La Albirroja finished only sixth in CONMEBOL qualifying for this World Cup but had upsets of powerhouses Brazil and defending champion Argentina in there.
Antonio Sanabria led the side in WC qualifying with four goals, while Julio Enciso had three. Enciso is in some question for Friday with a minor injury. Manager Gustavo Alfaro was in charge of Ecuador at the 2022 World Cup, but the Argentine took over at Paraguay after the side’s disappointing effort at the 2024 Copa America. Since Alfaro has been in charge, Paraguay has kept seven clean sheets and conceded just seven goals in 12 competitive games. Its final warm-up match for the World Cup was a 4-0 rout of Nicaragua last Friday. Paraguay’s lone match vs. the USA in the World Cup was a 3-0 loss in the 1930 group stage.
United States World Cup odds and news
Top defender Chris Richards, the 2025 U.S. Soccer Player of the Year, is in doubt for the opener after injuring suffering torn ligaments in his ankle playing with his club team, Crystal Palace, in the Premier League last month. Richards did return to training with Team USA this week, however.
The Americans are ranked 17th in the world but are the first World Cup hosts to lose their final match before the competition since Korea in 2002 – the Koreans reached the semis that year. The U.S. lost its final WC tune-up to powerhouse Germany, 2-1 last Saturday, but it was a quality loss. The United States is unbeaten in three straight group-stage openers in the World Cup (two draws) with the last such defeat in 2006 against Czechia. And only once in the history of the World Cup has the host nation lost its opening game, and that was Qatar in 2022.
Paraguay vs. USA player odds and props
USA star Christian Pulisic has scored 33 international goals in his career and needs one to tie Eric Wynalda for fourth on the country’s all-time list. I like him at +230 as an anytime goalscorer. Also prefer no on both teams to score at -130.
World Cup 2026 bracket and futures
To win Group D, the USA is a +140 favourite and Paraguay third at +400, also behind Turkey (+175). I do like the U.S. To simply qualify for the knockout rounds, the Americans are -750 and the Paraguayans -205. The United States will move on and Paraguay should – especially if it can draw this match
Paraguay vs. USA score prediction
USA 1, Paraguay 0. The Americans have won the past three in the series, most recently in November 2025, and have allowed only total goal. Also like under 2.5 goals at -160.