From Tom Cruise to Justin Bieber to David Beckham: Social media explodes over star-studded USMNT World Cup opener

The USMNT launched their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in style with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday night. An own goal by Paraguay’s Damián Bobadilla in the 7th minute gave the hosts an early lead.

Folarin Balogun then stole the show with two clinical finishes (31' and 45+5'), the second assisted by Malik Tillman, to make it 3-0 at halftime.

Paraguay pulled one back through Mauricio in the 73rd minute, but Giovanni Reyna capped the scoring with a late rocket in the 90+8th minute.

The performance was hailed as one of the strongest opening halves in USMNT World Cup history, showcasing attacking flair and home-crowd energy in front of a packed SoFi Stadium. Balogun earned Man of the Match honors as the United States got off to a perfect start in Group D.

The evening’s glamour began well before kickoff with a high-energy opening ceremony at SoFi Stadium. Katy Perry headlined the pre-match entertainment, performing tracks including “Wonder” alongside a star-studded lineup featuring Future, Tyla, LISA, Anitta, Rema, and others.

The spectacle included dramatic visuals of the Hollywood sign, a giant World Cup trophy, elaborate pageantry, and booming celebrations welcoming the world to the United States.

Once the match started, cameras frequently panned to the VIP sections, creating constant buzz.

Canadian popstar Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey drew one of the biggest cheers of the night when shown on the stadium big screen. Other notable attendees included Rob Lowe, Paris Hilton, Jamie Foxx, Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Sofia Vergara, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bill Gates, iShowspeed, George Lucas, and sports icons like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

However, the most photographed pairing was Tom Cruise and David Beckham (with Victoria Beckham nearby). The longtime friends, fresh off Beckham’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony earlier that day, where Cruise had spoken, were shown sitting together and standing respectfully during the national anthem.

Their presence symbolized the perfect blend of Hollywood and global football royalty.

Social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), exploded with reactions to the star-studded crowd as fans celebrated the convergence of celebrity culture and soccer on home soil.

One widely shared post captured the collective excitement: “CELEBRITY ROW IS UNREAL The FIFA World Cup 2026 match between the USA and Paraguay at SoFi Stadium turned into a celebrity-packed spectacle” listing names including Tom Cruise, David Beckham, Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Paris Hilton, and performers like Katy Perry and LISA.

Another viral reaction highlighted the crossover appeal: "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 ”

See more reactions below: