Tom Cruise, David Beckham, Justin Bieber Among Star-Studded Crowd as USMNT Demolish Paraguay 4-1 in 2026 World Cup Opener

Folarin Balogun delivered a Man of the Match performance to power the United States men’s national team to a 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their opening Group D fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, 13 June.

The hosts were in front inside seven minutes when Paraguay’s Damián Bobadilla turned the ball into his own net. Balogun then extended the advantage with two clinical finishes in the 31st and 45+5th minutes — the second set up by Malik Tillman — to send the United States into the interval with a commanding 3-0 lead. Paraguay reduced the deficit through Mauricio in the 73rd minute, before Giovanni Reyna sealed the result with a long-range effort deep into stoppage time at 90+8′.

The performance was widely described as one of the most impressive opening-half displays in USMNT World Cup history, combining attacking cohesion with the energy of a sold-out home crowd. Balogun, who has previously represented England at youth level before switching his international allegiance to the United States, claimed the Man of the Match award on a landmark night for American football.

The match itself, however, was only part of the evening’s spectacle. Proceedings at SoFi Stadium began with a high-profile opening ceremony headlined by Katy Perry, who performed tracks including “Wonder” as part of a lineup that also featured Future, Tyla, LISA, Anitta, Rema, and others. The ceremony incorporated dramatic visuals of the Hollywood sign, an oversized World Cup trophy, and large-scale pageantry befitting the tournament’s arrival on United States soil.

Once the game was underway, broadcast cameras regularly cut to a VIP section that drew as much attention as the action on the pitch. Tom Cruise and David Beckham — the most photographed pairing of the night — were spotted sitting together and standing side by side during the national anthem. Their attendance carried added significance: earlier that same day, Beckham had received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with Cruise among those who spoke at the ceremony. Victoria Beckham was also present nearby.

Canadian pop star Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey received one of the loudest reactions of the evening when they appeared on the stadium’s big screen. Streaming personality iShowSpeed, also in attendance, reportedly failed to notice Bieber standing directly in front of him — a moment that circulated widely on social media. Other notable figures present included Leonardo DiCaprio, Bill Gates, Paris Hilton, Jamie Foxx, Rob Lowe, Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Sofia Vergara, George Lucas, and basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The convergence of celebrity culture and football at SoFi Stadium triggered a significant reaction across social media platforms, particularly on X, formerly Twitter. One widely shared post described the scene as “CELEBRITY ROW IS UNREAL,” listing attendees including Tom Cruise, David Beckham, Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Paris Hilton, and performers such as Katy Perry and LISA. Another viral post read: “HOLLYWOOD + FOOTBALL ROYALTY IN THE STANDS! Tom Cruise and Sir David Beckham are here watching the USA dominate Paraguay 3-0! Celeb row is absolutely stacked tonight.”

The United States next face their remaining Group D opponents as the tournament progresses, with Friday’s result establishing them as early favourites to advance from the group stage. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico — the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 nations — and represents the first time the United States has hosted the competition since 1994, when the USMNT reached the Round of 16.