The U.S. is ready to face Paraguay on Friday night to open its first home World Cup in 32 years.
A jubilant Southern California crowd arrived early to cheer on an American team with high hopes heading into the final home opener for this tournament's three co-hosting nations. Led by midfielder Christian Pulisic and a core of his experienced contemporaries, the U.S. has reached No. 17 in FIFA's rankings with realistic ambitions of winning its group and then advancing from a knockout match for just the second time in its World Cup history.