Balogun brace lifts U.S. past Paraguay in World Cup opener

Balogun brace fires U.S. past Paraguay in World Cup opener

Folarin Balogun scored twice as the United States won its 2026 World Cup opener against Paraguay on Sunday (1). The win gets the co-hosts up and running in front of a home crowd, with Balogun delivering exactly the kind of statement performance this squad needed after the fractured buildup. The final score was not disclosed in reports, but the result stands as a critical three points to open Group play.

Arsenal watching closely, and Monaco may cash in

Balogun's breakout on the World Cup stage could shake up the summer window. Arsenal hold a 17.5% sell-on clause from his move to Monaco, and if his performances drive a transfer, the Gunners stand to collect a significant windfall (1). Monaco may now face decisions they had not planned for.

Germany dismantle Curaçao 7–1 in Group E

Germany opened their World Cup with a demolition of Curaçao on June 14 (2). Deniz Undav, Joshua Kimmich, Leroy Sane, Florian Wirtz, Felix Nmecha, Livano Comenencia, and Nico Schlotterbeck all found the net. Nathaniel Brown also got on the scoresheet. Julian Nagelsmann's side looked ruthless, and the Bayern Munich core, Kimmich, Sane, and Manuel Neuer, all featured prominently in a statement win.

Fan reactions

Uruguay's World Cup preview thread has been doing the rounds, and it opens by recalling the 5–1 friendly beating the U.S. handed them last November, a result that apparently sent Marcelo Bielsa into a bizarre two-hour press conference in Montevideo. Separately, FIFA is proposing Israel vs. Palestine as the opening match of an under-15s youth tournament set for the United States in September, and the reaction has been predictably intense. Read the full Uruguay preview here.