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Who’ll win the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? The race is on for who’ll score the most goals at the tournament, and it is set to be one of the tournament’s most closely watched storylines. Several of the world’s top forwards will be aiming to finish as the competition’s leading goalscorer. Kylian Mbappé enters the tournament after winning the Golden Boot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Mikel Oyarzabal are among the other players expected to challenge for the award. And check out our list of all the 2026 World Cup goals, ranked! Favorites To Win The Golden Boot Kylian Mbappé: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)Harry Kane: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)Lionel Messi: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)Erling Haaland: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Vinícius Júnior: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)Jonathan David: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Kai Havertz: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Matheus Cunha: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Johan Manzambi: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Deniz Undav: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Folarin Balogun: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Cristiano Ronaldo: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)Luis Díaz: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)Mikel Oyarzabal: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)Jude Bellingham: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)Cody Gakpo: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)Brian Brobbey: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total) 3 Goals 2 Goals 1 Goal Own Goals Last 5 Golden Boot Winners​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Scotland and Haiti are set to face off in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C opener on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on FOX. Scotland is making its first World Cup appearance of the 21st century after a 28-year wait. Scotland punched its ticket to the 2026 World Cup in dramatic fashion, scoring twice in stoppage time against Denmark in UEFA play to secure direct qualification. The Tartan Army enter the tournament on fire, beating both Curaçao and Bolivia by a combined score of 8-1 in two friendlies over the last few weeks. Meanwhile, Haiti returns to the World Cup stage for the first time in 52 years, with its only previous appearance coming in 1974. Haiti booked its place in the 2026 World Cup by finishing atop of Group C in the final round of CONCACAF play. The team recorded three wins and two draws across six matches, all of which took place outside the country. Can Haiti shock the world and win its first ever World Cup game? Let’s check out the odds for the Scotland vs. Haiti Group C matchup at FanDuel Sportsbook as of June 12. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Scotland vs. Haiti Odds Moneyline Spread Over/Under Total Odds: 2.5 Scotland vs. Haiti Prediction, Pick From FOX Sports Research: How to Watch Scotland vs Haiti Let’s take a look at some other bets for the match. Anytime Goalscorer Props Tie No Bet Both Teams to Score​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

LOS ANGELES STADIUM — Matt Freese will start in goal for the U.S. men’s national team in its World Cup opener vs. Paraguay on Friday. Freese, who plays for MLS club New York City FC, made his debut for the Americans almost exactly a year ago on June 7, 2025. He has never played in a World Cup but has officially beaten out Matt Turner, who started every game at the 2022 tournament, for the job. The goalkeeper battle has been one of the biggest – and most mysterious – storylines entering this summer’s tournament on home soil. Turner started all four matches for the USA at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but was unseated by Freese ahead of the 2025 Gold Cup. He’s struggled to regain his spot, and manager Mauricio Pochettino has now made the final call. Chris Richards will also start for the USA, which is a huge relief for the team. Richards injured his ankle playing for Premier League club Crystal Palace last month and has been working diligently with the U.S. medical staff to get back in time for this match. Richards only participated in his first full training session with the team on Monday. He will start in defense alongside captain Tim Ream. The rest of the starting XI is business as usual. Alex Freeman, who is the youngest player in the squad at 21 years old, will start in his first World Cup game in the back line. Malik Tillman and Folarin Balogun are starting in their first World Cup games, as well. Ream, Sergino Dest, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic are the holdover starters from four years ago. Players were informed of the starting lineup on Friday morning. On the other side, here’s a look at Paraguay’s full lineup for its first World Cup match this summer: GK: Roberto “Gatito” Fernández RB: Juan José Cáceres CB: Gustavo Gómez (C) CB: Omar Alderete LB: Junior Alonso CM: Andrés Cubas CM: Diego Gómez RM: Damián Bobadilla LM: Miguel Almirón FW: Antonio Sanabria FW: Julio Enciso​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The first FIFA World Cup match on Canadian soil delivered drama, dread and most importantly, a point. Canada’s historic World Cup match on home soil is now behind us, and it nearly became a national wake. Bosnia and Herzegovina opened the scoring in the 21st minute through striker Jovo Lukic, who headed in his first-ever international goal from point-blank range after Sead Kolašinac’s near-post flick on a corner. For an hour, around 43,000 fans at Toronto Stadium stared down a familiar nightmare. Then, Cyle Larin’s 78th-minute equalizer rescued a 1-1 draw and the first point in Canadian men’s World Cup history. Here are four takeaways from the match. 1. Bosnia Can Cause Problems Those who watched Bosnia and Herzegovina eliminate Italy on penalties in the playoffs already know that this is a well-organized team with young talent. There’s real technical ability throughout the midfield and attack. Benjamin Tahirovic dictates tempo, while Esmir Bajraktarević plays with swagger. The defense is anchored by Tarik Muharemovic, perhaps the most underrated center back at this World Cup — composed in possession, ruthless in the duels, never hurried. Canada threw everything at this back line and kept finding bodies: Nikola Katic cleared Tani Oluwaseyi’s header off the line, and Kolašinac deflected Richie Laryea’s goal-bound effort onto the crossbar. This team feels like it’s playing with house money after defying the odds and beating Italy in the World Cup qualification playoff final. 2. Cyle Larin, Of All People Write this one down, because it’s a pub quiz answer forever: Larin had been on the pitch for two minutes when he swiveled and ripped a deflected strike into the bottom corner, becoming just the second Canadian ever to score at a men’s World Cup. The first was Alphonso Davies, who watched this one from the bench. Larin’s redemption arc is almost too crazy: he lost his starting spot to Tani Oluwaseyi, hadn’t scored for his country in nearly two years, and entered the match as an afterthought. Ninety seconds later, he’d scored arguably the most important goal in the program’s history. It secured Canada’s first World Cup point after six straight defeats between 1986 and 2022. History was made, courtesy of the veteran striker from Brampton, Ontario. 3. Canada Misses Fonzie — Badly Alphonso Davies missed the match with a hamstring injury, and his absence was felt throughout. The attacking burden shifted entirely onto Jonathan David, Canada’s all-time leading goalscorer, who was coming off a difficult debut season at Juventus. David got his golden chance in the 17th minute and fired it straight at the goalkeeper from 12 yards. Just like we’ve seen time and time again this season, he fluffed his lines. Here’s the main issue: without Davies’ electrifying pace, dribbling and directness, defenders can fully focus on stopping David. Fonzie doesn’t just create; his mere presence relieves pressure on everyone around him. Canada generated nearly 70% possession and a mountain of corners. Sure, the team was also unlucky, but it could’ve been a different story with Davies on the pitch. The Canadian medical staff will now try to earn its salary. 4. The Group B Math According to the bookies, Switzerland is the group favorite and Qatar is the floor. If the odds are right, this was a de facto final for second place in the group. A draw keeps both teams alive and solves nothing. Switzerland and Qatar meet on Saturday, and once that result lands, the picture sharpens: if the Swiss win as expected, Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina are both chasing, and Canada’s date with Switzerland becomes the kind of match that defines a generation. The encouraging part for Marsch was the performance. Canada created enough to win this twice. The concerning part is that creation and conversion don’t go hand in hand. Canada will need to be more clinical in front of goal. This group lacks an elite superpower, but the parity is undeniable. 4 ½. What’s Next? Both of these teams will be back in action next Thursday, June 18. Bosnia and Herzegovina will play its second Group B game at Los Angeles Stadium against Switzerland, which faces Qatar on Saturday (3 p.m. ET on FOX/FOX One). Canada, meanwhile, will take on Qatar next Thursday at 6 p.m. ET (FS1/FOX One). The big story going into that game will be whether Davies is available for selection.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Ahead of the United States’ World Cup opening match against Paraguay on Friday, former U.S. men’s national team assistant coach and current Canada head coach Jesse Marsch shared his experience leading the USA in the 2010 World Cup. Marsch threw a dig at the U.S. team, and former players did not hesitate to respond. But let’s back up. Marsch opened up about his time leading USA under former head coach Bob Bradley, and commented about his perspective around the players — specifically what he thought was lacking. “In the U.S., we had to beg players to sing the national anthem,” Marsch said. Marsch’s comments did not faze FOX Sports’ Clint Dempsey — who played for Marsch and the American national team in the 2010 World Cup. “I can’t take that guy too seriously,” Dempsey said ahead of Canada’s opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday. “It was an honor for me, growing up and representing my country. I wasn’t someone who would normally sing. I put my hand over my heart and pray to the good man upstairs.” Dempsey remains one of the USA’s most talented players across his three World Cup appearances — he was the only player to score in all three — and recorded 54 goals in 141 appearances with the United States. When it comes to playing for the U.S., Dempsey emphasized his experience representing his country. “I bled for this country. I broke my nose playing for this country. I came back from two heart procedures and played for this country,” Dempsey added. “I’m not going to take advice from someone who switched to the other side and is singing for another country’s national anthem.” Marsch assisted Bradley from 2010-2011 and was a part of the Americans’ 2010 World Cup staff when the squad posted a first-place finish in Group C before being eliminated by Ghana in the round of 16. Marsch was strongly considered taking over as the United States head coach in 2023, but he was ultimately sidelined when former coach Gregg Berhalter was rehired. Additionally, FOX Sports’ Thierry Henry offered his advice to Marsch ahead of his World Cup debut. “You got to walk the walk and talk the talk. You can’t hide behind the fact that you are a decent team,” Henry said ahead of Canada’s opener. “You took a job, by the way, that someone started… That team was already there when he arrived. Yes, he elevated them. Let’s see what he can do today against Bosnia [and Herzegovina].” Since Marsch arrived to Team Canada in 2024, he has accumulated a 12-12-5 record.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

In an entertaining nightcap to conclude the opening day of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, South Korea surged late to secure a comeback win. After a frustrating first half that saw South Korea dominate without scoring, Czechia opened the scoring with a set-piece goal from captain Ladislav Krejčí. From there, however, it only served as a wake-up call for South Korea, which raised its game considerably and got impressive goals from In-Beom Hwang and Hyun-Gyu Oh. Here are my takeaways: 1. South Korea’s Persistence Pays Off The game opened with South Korea dominating possession and Czechia sitting back patiently with a focus on team defense. That was to be expected as Czechia is a team that has been reliant on its defense for years. But South Korea won this game by not becoming frustrated, when it easily could have. Despite creating several chances in the final 10 minutes of the first half, South Korea headed to the locker room at halftime empty-handed. Then, in the second half, Czechia took the lead completely against the run of play through its biggest strength on a set-piece goal from Krejčí. At a time when South Korea could have either crumbled under pressure, panicked or forced chances, the team stuck with its game plan and remained focused on its attack. Eventually, the Taegeuk Warriors were rewarded with a brilliant goal in the 67th minute when Lee Kang-In delivered a brilliant pass that found Hwang, who chipped Czechia goalkeeper Matej Kovár after some impressive footwork. From there, it only seemed like a matter of time before South Korea found the winner. That indeed came when Hwang moved down the right side and set up substitute Oh for a close-range finish. South Korea head coach Myung-Bo Hong deserves a lot of credit. First, his decisions were spot on. Removing captain and team legend Son Heung-min in the 69th minute is one that could have been viewed controversially if it did not work, but Oh came on and found the winner. But more than his tactical decisions, Hong instilled a lot of resolve into his team. Comeback wins are never easy at the World Cup, and they require the team to have a strong mentality. That typically stems from the coach. 2. Czechia Needs More Than Just Set Pieces Coming into this game, Czechia’s game plan was no secret. Its biggest strength is its ability to score on set pieces. In World Cup qualifying, 11 of its 22 goals were through set pieces. That only continued after 74-year-old head coach Miroslav Koubek was hired in December. In the playoff round of UEFA qualifying in March, Czechia played Ireland and Denmark to 2-2 draws before winning both games in shootouts. All four goals were from set pieces. Krejčí, a central defender who most recently played for Wolverhampton in the Premier League on loan from Girona in Spain, has been especially dominant. He scored in both the wins over Ireland and Denmark. Now, he can add a World Cup goal to his resume. In the 78th minute, Czechia nearly scored again from a set piece when Tomáš Souček headed home a free kick, but it was ruled offside on a very tight decision. To make a run in the World Cup, Czechia will need a more balanced and varied attack. The team simply did not create much from open play against Korea. Despite coming up short, Czechia has a realistic path to the knockout round. A win over South Africa could be enough, given that eight of the 12 third-place teams advance, and it also has a catchup with Mexico. 3. Son’s Frustrations For South Korea Son Heung-min is the most successful Korean player of all time, with a stellar European career between Hamburg, Bayer Leverkusen and Tottenham, where he spent most of his career and eventually rose to the team’s captain. In 2025, he moved to Los Angeles FC in MLS. His first season in MLS was strong with nine goals in 10 games, but 2026 has been a nightmare with no goals in 13 games. It was an open question how that slump would carry over into this World Cup. Son was active and involved in dangerous chances. It seemed like a goal was coming for him, and his best opportunities came at the end of the first half, including a scuffed chance from deep inside the Czechia box. In the second half, he continued to threaten and had the best chance of the game in the 56th minute, which forced a save from close range. Ultimately, he was subbed off in the 69th without contributing to a goal. Now, the pressure will continue to mount on him. South Korea played its best soccer after Son was subbed out, but the team will ultimately need Son to capitalize if it wants to win knockout games. He remains essential to the team hitting its potential. 4. Kang-In Lee And Hwang Were South Korea’s Stars The two best players on the field in this game were South Korea’s Lee and Hwang. Both players combined for the equalizer, but that tells only part of the story of just how good both players were. Lee, a reserve midfielder for recent Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, was the driving force behind South Korea’s attack throughout the entire game. Even in the first half, when the game was scoreless, typically every promising attack originated from him. In the second half, he elevated his game. Hwang was the game’s best player as he scored and assisted in a dominant second half. The Feyenoord midfielder, who also played for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2019-2020, made the impressive big plays that took Czechia out of its well-organized defensive shell and opened the game. 4 ½. What’s Next? South Korea and Mexico both picked up three points in Group A on Thursday, but South Korea currently sits second in the group due to goal differential. It will get the chance to leapfrog El Tri in the standings in their meeting at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday. Czechia is third in Group A with zero points and a goal differential of minus-1. It will play last-place South Africa in its second group stage match on Thursday.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The first day of the 2026 FIFA World Cup did not disappoint. Curses were broken in Mexico City, as were the hearts of the Bafana Bafana faithful. Here is everything you might have missed from Day 1 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Mexico vs. South Africa South Africa vs. Czechia BEST OF THE DAY Assist Of The Day Raúl Jiménez waited 12 years for his first World Cup goal, and his Mexico teammate Roberto Alvarado made sure he didn’t have to work too hard for it. The 27-year-old Chivas winger saw Jiménez calling for the ball at the far post and delivered a perfectly-weighted cross with his favored left foot, and Jiménez just had to place the ball outside the reach of South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. Save Of The Day South Korea walked away with all three points against Czechia thanks to some late-match heroics from Kim Seung-gyu. After conceding two goals — one of which was disallowed — Seung-gyu picked himself back up and made this save from point-blank range that kept South Korea out in front through the final whistle. Goal Of The Day When Lee Kang-in played Hwang In-beom through, he had three defenders closing in on him. By the time he controlled the ball, he had the whole right side of the goal open. How? A fake shot that fooled Czechia’s entire back line. That bit of skill was the difference between one and three points for South Korea on Thursday. Moment Of The Day Raúl Jiménez was overcome with emotion after giving Mexico a 2-0 lead over South Africa. Not only was it Jiménez’s first-ever World Cup goal, but it was in tribute to his late father Raúl Jiménez Vega. It’s a moment he and El Tri fans will surely never forget.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

If the United States men’s national team is to make a long run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a lot will have to go right. That starts with the team’s key players, many of whom will be playing in their second World Cup. Of course, all 26 players who step onto the field for any team at the World Cup are important, but with this U.S. team, there are a few players who are essential to head coach Mauricio Pochettino. There are simply no replacements for any of these players. Should any of them not be able to go, Pochettino will either completely change how the team plays or they’ll struggle with replacements who are limited in their ability to fill the roles. Let’s identify five who’ll be indispensable. Age: 27Club: AFC Bournemouth (English Premier League) All throughout the cycle leading to the 2022 World Cup, many questions surrounding the U.S. team involved midfielder Tyler Adams. Who was his backup, and how could the team play without him? Four years later, the same questions persist. Many were hoping Johnny Cardoso would be that pick, but he is injured and never comfortably fit into the role even when healthy. Pochettino controversially elected not to bring Tanner Tessmann or Aidan Morris, who were potential options. Adams has struggled with injuries over the years and the team has never looked comfortable when he is not on the field. His absence was particularly noticeable in March when the U.S. team struggled to contain Belgium and Portugal. While Adams is no longer the team’s captain, as he was at the 2022 World Cup, he is the most indispensable player. There is no clear backup for him on this roster, or even in the entire player pool. When Adams is playing at his best, he helps cover up a lot of the team’s weaknesses. He can cover ground in transitional defending. He can help shield the backline. If the U.S. team is to go on a run and advance in the knockouts, Adams is essential. He must stay healthy, and he must avoid cards.  If he is not on the field, the team is in trouble. Age: 26Club: Crystal Palace (English Premier League) After Adams, Chris Richards is the next most important player on the U.S. team. Central defense is a weakness for the U.S. team, and it is a problem that has been building for years. Over the past six years, youth national teams have not produced many top players in this position. The U.S. team had to use two over-age central defenders at the 2024 Olympics because few quality U-23 players existed. It is also a reason why Tim Ream, at age 38, is still a starter. But Richards has been a rare bright spot amongst the player pool in the middle of the backline. His club career with Crystal Palace has been very successful in recent years. He won the FA Cup in 2025. In May, he saw Crystal Palace lift the Conference League title. While he did not play in the final due to injury, he was important throughout the campaign. Richards missed the 2022 World Cup due to a hamstring injury and various injuries have forced him to miss long stretches over the years. Right now, he is currently trying to recover from an ankle injury in time for the opening game, although he stated on Wednesday that he is good to go. It is the same injury that forced him out of the Conference League final. The gap between Richards and the next best central defender on the team is wide. It is a position where ambitious teams cannot afford to be weak. For Pochettino, Richards needs to be at or near full fitness for the duration of the tournament. Age: 27 Club: AC Milan (Italian Serie A) The Hershey, Pennsylvania, native is the most accomplished American player of all time at the club level, and he has scored many important goals over the years for the national team. He is the U.S. team’s most feared attacking player and is the offensive key to a run into the knockout rounds. When Pulisic is playing well, he elevates the rest of his teammates around him. Opposing teams must focus more on defending him, which opens space for others. A big issue surrounding the national team throughout 2026 was Pulisic’s scoring drought. It was not until the 3-2 friendly win over Senegal on May 31 when Pulisic finally found the back of the net this calendar year for either club or country. The hope amongst the team is that with his slump over, the goals and assists will come in droves. Pulisic Odds to Win Golden Ball: +8000 Age: 28Club: Fulham (English Premier League) Whenever healthy, Robinson has been among the best left backs in the Premier League with Fulham. In recent years, there has been a lot of concern about whether Robinson would be ready for this tournament as an injury to his right knee limited him at the end of the 2024-25 season and a subsequent surgery failed to have him back on the field for the start of the 2025-26 campaign. It was not until December when he returned for the Cottagers. When he played for the U.S. team in March, it was his first international appearance since 2024. He was sorely missed. Robinson is an elite fullback in the modern game. He is fast, he can cover a lot of ground over 90 minutes, he is effective on both sides of the ball, and he reads the game so well that he is rarely out of position. Robinson is irreplaceable for Pochettino. When he is not on the field, the U.S. must play in a different way tactically with multiple players filling roles Robinson can normally do by himself. Fortunately for the U.S. team, Robinson looks ready to go for the World Cup and his goal against Germany on Saturday was one of the best goals the team has scored in years. Age: 27Club: Juventus (Italian Serie A) Weston McKennie is by far the most versatile player in the entire U.S. player pool where he can play across the midfield, either fullback position or either wing position. Throughout the 2025-26 season with Juventus, McKennie featured in many different roles and was one of the team’s best players. It was the final year of his contract and for stretches, it seemed as if Juventus was simply going to let him go. Ultimately, the front office decided he was simply too good and too unique to let leave. In March, McKennie signed a lucrative new contract to remain in Turin. Pochettino seems to be arriving at a similar conclusion with McKennie. It is very hard to find someone else in the U.S. player pool who has as wide a variety of skillsets. At his best, he can score, create, win duels, defend and thrive in games that become intense and physical. The concern is that McKennie has not always been at his best. The Texas native is often a bellwether for the team. When he plays well, the U.S. team plays well. When he doesn’t, such as at the 2024 Copa América or the 2025 Nations League finals, the team doesn’t. Pochettino has reasons to be optimistic for McKennie at this World Cup. He is coming off a strong season with Juventus and McKennie often raises his level on the biggest stages, such as the 2022 World Cup. 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX and FS1 with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps. The USMNT’s opening game vs. Paraguay will be streaming free on Tubi.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The format of the World Cup has changed entering 2026. Instead of 32 teams with the top two from each group making it to the knockout rounds, there are 48 teams this year. Eight teams that finish in third place will advance from their group to the knockouts. Does that change the strategy at all when entering this tournament? Not for the USA. This is a must-win game for the U.S. because of the order of its games. There might be a little room for error, but you don’t want to go into your last game against Türkiye, which will be the toughest, needing a result. Getting a win against Paraguay would be a great way to start and a massive boost. Here’s what to expect on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium (9 p.m. ET on FOX and streaming live for free on Tubi). One thing to note is that this will be a very different United States lineup than the one that faced Paraguay last November. Goalkeeper Matt Freese, defenders Sergiño Dest and Tim Ream and striker Folarin Balogun were the only four players who started both that game and the United States’ friendly against Germany last Saturday. While the U.S. squad will look different, Paraguay’s approach is unlikely to change. Expect Paraguay to drop deep in defense and concede possession to us. Manager Gustavo Alfaro took over as Paraguay’s coach in August 2024 and led the team to a 5-4-1 (wins-draws-losses) in World Cup qualifying. That one loss was an away match against Brazil, but his team also registered wins over Argentina and Brazil at home. Don’t expect Paraguay to come out and look to play an attacking game. Alfaro will have his team ready to defend and make life difficult for the USA. I’m always here to highlight the center backs when they should be highlighted, and the key to Paraguay here is its defense, of which Alderete is a huge part. Alderete made 33 appearances in the Premier League this past season for Sunderland. He did not feature in the friendly against the United States late in 2025 because he was coming back from injury. But he did manage to receive a red card in a scuffle after the game. Paraguay is a very, very defensively sound team, only conceding 10 goals in 18 World Cup qualifying matches. Expect this team to sit back and focus on defending with an eye on doing damage in attack in transition after winning possession. MLS fans will know Miguel Almiron as a go-to playmaker Atlanta United. He will be the key in attack for Paraguay when it does get on the ball and looks to get forward. Before the USA’s loss to Germany, I highlighted how important Leroy Sané was going to be on the right wing for Germany in case he was able to get Ream in a one-on-one situation. Ream is likely to start on the left of the United States’ back three in defense, so he’ll be on Antonee Robinson’s side. Making sure the 38-year-old captain has support when defending attacks in transition from Paraguay will be important. Paraguay had 10 shutouts in its 18 World Cup qualifying games, so it’s not going to be easy to break down in what will be a difficult defense to break down. I’m expecting the United States to have the majority of the ball, though. We had 56% of possession back in November against Paraguay, and it may end up being more this time around. That doesn’t mean it will be a walk in the park for us, though. The USA’s wingbacks (Dest on the right and Robinson on the left) will be hugely important on both sides of the pitch. While the wing backs are going to be important going forward (which I’ll get to shortly), they’re also going to be important on defense. Paraguay is going to look to drop low and hit the United States on the counterattack. While Robinson and Dest are going to be important going forward, there will also be a job for them to do in defense. Both of these guys are more than capable in attack, which is clear from Dest scoring in the USA’s 3-2 win over Senegal and Robinson scoring an impressive volley in the 2-1 loss to Germany. Robinson will be on the left side along with Christian Pulisic, while Dest will be on the right side, likely with Malik Tillman, who started against Germany. The key for the two wing backs will be to combine with Pulisic and Tillman to overload the Paraguay defense going forward. Dest started against Paraguay in November, but Robinson missed the game with Max Arfsten starting in his place. Neither Pulisic nor Tillman featured, as well. If the U.S. wins this game, I expect the success going forward to be from the wide areas.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Co-hosts Canada and the United States will open their highly anticipated World Cup campaigns Friday, but each team will be facing a difficult opponent who could spoil the party for the respective home crowds. Canada kicks off the day’s action in Toronto against a Bosnia and Herzegovina team that is participating in its second World Cup. The day then concludes when Mauricio Pochettino’s United States team hosts Paraguay in Los Angeles in what promises to be a hard-fought game. Here is a look at both games. Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina: How to Watch Six games, six losses. That is Canada’s history at the World Cup, with pointless campaigns in 2022 and 1986. After a disappointing tournament in Qatar four years ago, Canada will finally look to take its first ever positive steps at the World Cup when it hosts Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday in Group B action. There is plenty of room for optimism for Canada these days. The team boasts several high-quality players who play in the top leagues in Europe. It’s done well under head coach Jesse Marsch, who guided the club to a semifinal run at the 2024 Copa América. Since that run, Canada has only continued to surge under Marsch. In the 23 matches since its shootout loss to Uruguay in the third-place game, Canada has only lost twice. The strength of the team over the past two years has been its defense. Since the Copa América, Canada has conceded more than one goal only twice, a 4-2 win over Croatia last June and a 2-2 draw with Iceland in March. This rise has propelled Canada to 30th in the latest world rankings. The concern for Canada right now, however, is the health of two of its best players. Left back Alphonso Davies is dealing with a hamstring injury and is doubtful to be able to play on Friday, while central defender Moise Bombito is day to day. Bosnia and Herzegovina comes into this game as an underdog with a FIFA World Ranking of No. 64, but that could be misleading. Right now, it is a team full of confidence riding an eight-game unbeaten run. The last time Bosnia and Herzegovina lost was in a World Cup qualifier against Austria on September 9. The highlight of this run was in March during the World Cup qualifying playoffs, where Bosnia and Herzegovina defeated Wales and then Italy in shootouts to qualify for this tournament. Led by head coach Sergej Barbarez, Bosnia and Herzegovina brings a team that has a blend of youth, prime-age players, and older stars. Former New England Revolution winger and Wisconsin native Esmir Bajraktarevic is one of the team’s bright young players. Now at PSV Eindhoven, the player known as the “Milwaukee Messi” played 120 minutes in each of the March playoff games and buried his penalty in the shootout to defeat Italy. On the other end of the spectrum, there is captain Edin Džeko, who is the all-time leading scorer and most capped player in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national team. At age 40, he is still crucial to the team. He scored five international goals in 2025, and it was his late equalizer against Wales in March that kept their qualifying hopes alive. Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Player to Watch After a prolific start to his career with Gent in Belgium followed by a terrific five years with Lille in France, David moved to Juventus last year. It was a difficult first season in Italy for him as David managed just six goals in Serie A as the club failed to qualify for the Champions League. It is obvious that David is a quality player, but how much will the tough season affect him? He is the player to watch in this game because his performance could very well dictate Canada’s performance. If he plays like he did during his Lille years, Canada is a threat. If he stays in his Juventus-era rut, Canada likely doesn’t have the firepower to advance very far. USA vs. Paraguay: How to Watch In Group D, the United States national team kicks off its World Cup campaign on Friday night in Los Angeles and Mauricio Pochettino’s squad is among the most difficult teams to predict in the World Cup, despite its current FIFA World Ranking of 17. The Pochettino era has been a wild roller-coaster. At the beginning of 2025, the U.S. team was in terrible shape after finishing fourth in the final rounds of the Nations League with losses to Panama and Canada. At the Gold Cup that summer, Mexico got past the U.S. in the final. But the fall saw the team steadily improve to the point where, in November, the U.S. team was playing terrific soccer. In that window, the U.S. team defeated its Friday opponents, Paraguay, 2-1, and then followed that with a resounding 5-1 win over Uruguay. Then this past March, the team made a complete 180 and struggled to compete in ugly losses to Belgium and Portugal. The two tune-up friendlies were mostly positive as the team defeated Senegal 3-2 and lost to Germany 2-1. Still, the U.S. was prone to making costly mistakes that could sink them at the World Cup. In other words, the team is almost unpredictable, and almost any scenario at this World Cup is possible. But there have been two encouraging developments for the team recently. The first is that Christian Pulisic ended his scoring drought against Senegal by bagging his first goal for club or country in 2026. If he is back in form, the U.S. team will be dangerous in the attack. The second is that the team’s best central defender, Chris Richards, appears to be ready to play. He suffered an ankle injury three weeks ago playing for Crystal Palace. If he is back and close to full fitness, the U.S. team’s defense is significantly improved. The U.S. team’s opponent on Friday will be Paraguay, and it will be the first time the U.S. team has faced a South American team at the World Cup since the last time it hosted in 1994, when it upset Colombia, 2-1, in the group stage and then lost to Brazil in the round of 16. Paraguay qualified for the World Cup with a sixth-place finish in South America’s single-table qualification, but there was not much separating the teams that qualified. Argentina finished comfortably in first, but Ecuador finished second with 29 points, while Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay all finished with 28 points. Coached by Gustavo Alfaro, Paraguay enjoyed some impressive moments during qualifying, including home wins over Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. Those results showed that this Paraguay team can defeat the best teams in the world. It will be the ninth World Cup appearance for La Albirroja but the last time came in 2010 when the team made a run to the quarterfinals in South Africa. For the team’s veteran leaders, Miguel Almirón and Gustavo Gomez, it will be their first time in the tournament. But Paraguay has a nice blend of veterans and youth. One of the team’s most talented young players is Diego Gomez, who broke out in MLS before transferring to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he is now a regular in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Gustavo Gomez, the 33-year-old central defender, will captain Paraguay. He is a club legend for Palmeiras in Brazil, where he has won Brazil’s Serie A three times and the Copa Libertadores twice. USA vs. Paraguay: Player to Watch The AC Milan winger finally ended his 2026 scoring drought in the U.S. team’s first tune-up game against Senegal. That gave hope to the U.S. team and its fans that Pulisic is in the process of returning to top form. He is absolutely critical to the U.S. team’s chances for success at the World Cup and the pressure on him is intense as he is the figurehead for the country that will be hosting the most games of this World Cup. Against Paraguay, it will be important to watch Pulisic early. If he is energetic and creating chances shortly after the opening kickoff, the U.S. team will be in good shape. If he is invisible, Paraguay has a good chance of getting a result.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports