United States v Paraguay – predictions and odds – 2026 World Cup (13 June 2026)

The United States and Paraguay make their 2026 World Cup debuts in a match taking place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. In Group B alongside Turkey and Australia, and with none of the major favourites to win the World Cup present, every match is crucial given the expected parity between the sides.

As such, a match is expected to be marked by the nerves typical of a World Cup debut, with neither side likely to take excessive risks. The USA will take the initiative as the home side, but it remains to be seen whether Pochettino’s men can handle the pressure. The South American side, for their part, will prioritise defensive organisation to cause damage on the counter-attack or from set-pieces.

Final score prediction

In this context, an extremely even contest is expected. Despite the hosts being favourites, it will be a closely contested match, with both sides prioritising a winless start to the 2026 World Cup. Every point could be crucial for progressing to the next round, and a defeat in the opening match would have a significant impact on the next two group stage fixtures. For this reason, a draw is a very likely outcome.

Prediction: Under 2.5 goals

For the same reason I’m backing a draw, I believe there will be a maximum of 2 goals in the match. Unless we see an early goal that forces one of the sides to open up, the contest will be extremely tight, and should the United States or Paraguay manage to win, it will be down to the smallest of margins. Furthermore, neither side has any top-class strikers. The odds on the under 2.5 goals market are 1.75.

“Build Bet” prediction

Given that a match with few chances is expected, if either side manages to win, I believe it will be the United States. The home advantage could prove decisive in favour of the side managed by Mauricio Pochettino. Furthermore, it will be difficult for Paraguay to create many scoring opportunities unless they come from set-pieces or an individual error by their opponents. A US win or draw, combined with the option that neither team scores, pays out at 1.45.