The United States opens its home World Cup against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium this Friday, June 12. The anticipated match is the first game for both nations, which means there’s no form line to set expectations.
After Los Angeles, Paraguay will travel to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara for their next two group games, so local fans will see plenty of La Albirroja. This is the first time since 2010 that Paraguay has qualified for the World Cup, and the team is built around the defensive strengths of captain Gustavo Gómez and Omar Alderete under coach Gustavo Alfaro.
Meanwhile, the United States team is led by defender Tim Ream and head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Unfortunately, the United States team is dealing with some major injuries. Both Johnny Cardoso and Patrick Agyemang are out for the World Cup.
Match date and time
Kickoff is Friday, June 12, at 6:00 p.m. Pacific. Elsewhere, that’s an 8:00 p.m. start in the Central zone and a 9:00 p.m. tip-off on the East Coast, putting the game squarely in prime time nationwide.
Where to watch on TV
The English-language broadcast is on FOX, with streaming through the FOX Sports app and FOX One, and Tubi is expected to offer select matches free. Spanish-language coverage runs on Telemundo and Peacock. Bay Area cord-cutters should double-check their service carriers FOX before kickoff.
Of course, you can expect many watch parties throughout the city hosted by bars, community spaces and more.
Stadium: SoFi Stadium
The match will be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, in the Los Angeles area — a roughly six-hour drive or a short flight from the Bay. The translucent-roofed home of the Rams and Chargers, and host of Super Bowl LVI, seats about 70,000 and expands beyond 100,000 for headline events, making it one of the tournament’s signature stages.
Potential lineups
United States (4-3-3): Freese; Dest, Richards, Ream, A. Robinson; Adams, McKennie, Tillman; Weah, Balogun, Pulisic.
Paraguay (4-2-3-1): Gill; Cáceres, G. Gómez, Alderete, Alonso; Bobadilla, Cubas; D. Gómez, Enciso, Almirón; Sanabria.
Other things to do this weekend in San Francisco
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Reviewed by Dana Flynn
