Five Things to Know: USMNT vs. Paraguay
Here are five things to know before the USMNT faces Paraguay on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania
The U.S. Men’s National Team returns to action for the first of two matches against South American, World Cup-qualified opponents. First, the U.S. hosts Paraguay at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania on Saturday, Nov. 15.
This window marks the final of the year for the U.S. Men’s National Team as the group continues its lead-up to the FIFA 2026 World Cup. Here are five more storylines heading into Saturday’s matchup:
1. World-Class Competition
The U.S. Men’s National team is not taking it easy heading into the sport’s biggest tournament next summer. For the third straight window, the U.S. will face two high-quality teams that have qualified for the FIFA 2026 World Cup. The first matchup of November for the U.S. is against Paraguay, a team the U.S. defeated in the two most recent meetings in 2016 and 2018. Paraguay, led by midfielder Miguel Almirón of Atlanta United, officially earned its spot in the World Cup in September. The qualification is the country’s first since 2010 when it finished the tournament as a quarterfinalist, falling to the eventual champion, Spain.
2. The U.S. Looks to Extend Unbeaten Streak
The U.S. Men’s National Team is riding a three-match unbeaten streak entering the November window. The team earned an energetic 2-0 win over Japan in Columbus, Ohio on Sept. 9, a hard-fought draw against stingy Ecuador at Q2 Stadium on Oct. 10, and most recently rallied from one goal down to defeat Australia 2-1 in Commerce City, Colorado on Oct. 14. With 14 holdovers from the previous camp in October, the group will look to keep the positive momentum going in the team’s final matches of the year.
3. Quality Up Top for the U.S.
This roster features three strikers who entered camp in top form for both club and country: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright. Balogun and Pepi each scored goals in the UEFA Champions League for their clubs recently. Balogun scored the lone goal in AS Monaco’s 1-0 win over FK Bodø/Glimt, and Pepi saved a result with a last-gasp goal in second-half stoppage time in PSV Eindhoven’s 1-1 draw at Olympiacos FC. Meanwhile, Wright has scored eight goals this season for EFL Championship-leading Coventry City, two goals shy of the Golden Boot leaders, and is coming off a brace the last time out with the U.S. Men’s National Team against Australia in October.
4. Philadelphia Homecoming
The match against Paraguay kicks off at Subaru Park, home of Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union. Four USMNT players are products of the Philadelphia Union Academy and went on to appear with the first team: midfielder Brenden Aaronson, goalkeeper Matt Freese, defender Mark McKenzie and defender Auston Trusty. Three of those players – Aaronson, Freese and McKenzie – were part of the Union squad that won the club’s first-ever trophy, the Supporters’ Shield in 2020. Trusty, a Philadelphia native, made 56 appearances for his hometown team as a Homegrown from 2017-2019.
5. MLS Prestige
Speaking of MLS, this 25-player roster for the USMNT features 11 from MLS. Four of them play for clubs still in the hunt for MLS Cup – Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Roman Celentano and Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), and Matt Freese (New York City FC) – and will compete in the semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs Nov. 22-24. A few more MLS stars received awards for their individual campaigns in 2025. At age 21, defender Alex Freeman (Orlando City SC) was voted the 2025 MLS Young Player of the Year. Freeman, Berhalter and Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC) all earned their first selection to the MLS Best XI.