FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony Live: After Katy Perry’s performance, USA will face Paraguay in their World Cup openers. - FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony Live Updates: Katy Perry and Future will get the party started in the USA as the third and final opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup will be held at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Team USA will then play their first game of the FIFA World Cup against Paraguay. At the previous two Opening Ceremonies, held in Mexico City and Toronto, stars like Shakira, Michael Buble, Vegedream and Nora Fatehi have performed.
The last time USA hosted a FIFA World Cup was 32 years back. USA have faced off against Paraguay multiple times in the past, most recently in November where Mauricio Pochettino’s men secured a 2-1 victory in Chester, Pennsylvania. But the earliest ocassion the two nations met on the pitch in a World Cup was back in 1930, when the USA had won 3-0. Paraguay are making their first World Cup appearance since the 2010 FIFA World Cup that was hosted by South Africa.
Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium (called as the Los Angeles Stadium for the FIFA World Cup) was thrown open only in September 2020, which makes it the newest stadium that is hosting a FIFA World Cup game in this edition. It’s not too far from Pasadena’s famous Rose Bowl, which hosted the 1994 World Cup final. But despite it’s young pedigree, Los Angeles Stadium is the home ground for Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers in the National Football League and has also hosted Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, and BTS.
Scroll down for our live updates from the opening ceremony at the Los Angeles Stadium and the USA vs Paraguay game
The biggest anticlimax for co-hosts USA’s first game against Paraguay is the absence of its president Donald Trump. (AP)