Now that the FIFA World Cup is underway in Mexico, Canada and the U.S., the drama has shifted to the fields where there have been several surprising results heading into the first full week.
Daichi Kamada scored on a header off Koki Ogawa's corner kick in the 88th minute, sending the Samurai Blue fans into a frenzy and giving Japan a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their World Cup opener.
The U.S. is opening its 2026 World Cup on Friday evening against Paraguay. For the 26 Americans on the team, this match is the culmination of years of hard work and training.
Hundreds of tickets are still available for the U.S. and Canada opening matches for the World Cup on Friday. Even more are available in resale platforms — many at below face value.
The U.S. has gone unbeaten in its past five international matches. But now the team is upping the ante with games against Belgium and Portugal that could show fans whether a deep run is in the cards.