Will America’s World Cup Opening Victory Be Enough To Fill Empty Seats at Venues Across the Country?

World Cup organizers can hope for a boost to lagging public enthusiasm and ticket sales after the American side’s rousing 4-1 thrashing of Paraguay in front of a raucous crowd at SoFi Stadium at Los Angeles Friday night to open the team’s play in the 2026 FIFA tournament.Folarin Balogun scored twice and Christian Pulisic was electric before a halftime substitution, with Weston McKennie and Gio Reyna contributing to a dominant display that sent the 70,000-strong crowd into a frenzy. It was the United States’ largest margin of victory at a World Cup since a pair of 3-0 wins in the inaugural tournament in 1930.The celebrations, however, were set against a troubling backdrop. Thousands of empty seats were visible across multiple venues on the opening day of play on American soil, the clearest sign yet of the fallout from FIFA’s controversial ticketing strategy. The second match of the day — South Korea against Czechia at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara — saw gaping empty sections throughout, particularly in VIP areas. On the eve of the tournament, roughly 180,000 tickets remained listed on FIFA’s official resale portals, with more than 4,400 seats still unsold for Friday’s USA-Paraguay fixture, where the cheapest tickets were priced at $1,120.Back on the field, the Americans wasted no time getting ahead. Mr. Pulisic split defenders in the seventh minute, his pass to Mr. McKennie leading to a Paraguayan own goal. Mr. Balogun doubled the lead before halftime with a slick finish off a precise cross from Mr. Pulisic, then added a second — a rocket into the top corner — in stoppage time to put the game firmly to bed.“All in all, just an incredible start,” Mr. Pulisic said after the match. “But there’s a lot more we still have to do.”Mr. Balogun, making his World Cup debut, became the first American to score twice in a World Cup game since the inaugural edition in 1930.“I think the first game is always the most difficult, you know, to get the nerves out of the way,” Mr. Balogun told reporters after the game. “You want a result like this and it gives you a lot of confidence for the next game.”The night’s only sour note for the home side was Mr. Pulisic’s early exit at halftime. The AC Milan star said he took a knock to his left calf late in the opening half and the team wasn’t willing to risk further injury. “I’m really hoping that it’s nothing,” Mr. Pulisic said. “Taking a little bit of precaution today.”With the result never in doubt, Mauricio Pochettino’s side coasted through the second half. Paraguayan midfielder Maurício pulled one back in the 73rd minute, but it was no more than a consolation. Mr. Reyna had the final word, curling a stunning effort into the top corner with the outside of his right boot to seal the 4-1 scoreline.“It’s a dream, it’s a dreamy night,” Mr. Balogun said.The United States return to action next Friday in Seattle.

Will America’s World Cup Opening Victory Be Enough To Fill Empty Seats at Venues Across the Country?

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