The U.S. Men’s national team (USMNT) opened its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on Friday with a victory over Paraguay at a near-capacity SoFi Stadium. Despite months of concerns regarding slow ticket sales and high prices, the stadium filled with fans, primarily from the United States, who began arriving four hours before kickoff. While a smattering of empty seats remained in some sections, the crowd was described as raucous and energetic. The match saw the U.S. Take an early lead following an own goal by Paraguay, followed by goals from Folarin Balogun and Christian Pulisic. The Los Angeles Daily News reported that the crowd’s energy was significant, noting that the atmosphere was a stark contrast to the hundreds of empty seats seen during the second match of the tournament between South Korea and the Czech Republic. Ticketing for the opener had been a subject of controversy. FIFA initially priced the match as the third-most expensive in the tournament, with Category 1 tickets starting at $2,735. According to The Athletic, these tickets did not sell as expected in early phases, with a planning document from April 10 indicating FIFA had sold roughly 10,000 fewer tickets to the U.S.-Paraguay match than to the Iran-New Zealand match three days later. However, many tickets eventually appeared on resale sites at significantly lower prices. The Athletic reported that by Friday morning, Category 1 tickets on FIFA’s official resale platform were selling for less than $1,150, while some Category 2 tickets on the secondary market dipped under $700. Several fans told The Athletic they purchased their tickets at the last minute for less than half of the original FIFA prices. The pregame festivities included a parade of nations and performances by Katy Perry and K-pop star Lisa. The Los Angeles Daily News noted that several celebrities, including Tom Cruise, David Beckham, and Halle Berry, appeared on the stadium’s big screen. The U.S. Will next face Australia on June 19 in Seattle.