Tom Cruise to Beckham: The stars who stole the spotlight at the opening of the World Cup in the USA
Tom Cruise, David Beckham, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio headlined the guest list at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles as the United States opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a convincing 4-1 victory over Paraguay on Friday.
The return of the World Cup to American soil brought together an eclectic mix of Hollywood royalty, musicians, athletes, political figures and internet personalities to create a spectacle that went far beyond the action on the pitch.
With the hosts playing their first home World Cup match since 1994, the occasion attracted some of the biggest names in entertainment. Cruise, Pitt and DiCaprio were among the most famous faces in attendance, while Beckham received a warm welcome from fans whenever he appeared on the stadium’s giant screens.
The football legend was joined by actress Anya Taylor-Joy, singer and actress Hilary Duff, media personality Paris Hilton, actors Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Rob Lowe, Halle Berry and Jamie Foxx.
Katy Perry rose to the occasion before the opening, performing “Wonder” alongside 10-year-old Norwegian singer Tius Luka during the opening festivities. Dressed in a silver gown, Perry helped kick off the evening’s festivities before taking her place in the stands. Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was also among notable guests spotted around the venue.
The sports world was represented by basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NBA player Norman Powell and New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, who attended the game with his girlfriend Marissa Ayers.
Streaming star IShowSpeed created a lot of excitement among the younger fans, while another celebrity was country artist Shaboozy who made it to the stadium.
| BREAKING: Speed just met Zlatan Ibrahim and Thierry Henry and Zlatan immediately blasted them for wearing a Nigerian shirt with a USA jersey pic.twitter.com/r43tYQs1jo— Speedy HQ (@IShowSpeedHQ) June 13, 2026
Adding a playful touch to the evening were the performances of Elmo and Cookie Monster, who delighted the families attending the opening of the tournament.
While celebrity spotting kept fans busy throughout the night, the United States ensured that soccer remained the main attraction.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side got off to an ideal start to their Group D campaigndefeated Paraguay in front of a packed home crowd. The breakthrough came in the seventh minute when Christian Pulisic threaded a pass through the Paraguayan defense to Weston McKennie. Damian Bobadilla converted his pass into the net for an own goal.
Balogun then took center stage as he scored twice in the opening half to put the home side firmly in control. Paraguay managed to pull a goal back late in the match, but Gio Reyna’s stunning strike in stoppage time capped off an emphatic win.
“Awesome result,” US captain Tim Ream said after the game. “It’s exactly how we wanted to start the tournament.
Throughout the evening, the cameramen often turned their attention to the VIP sections, which provoked loud reactions from the audience eager to catch a glimpse of familiar faces in attendance. Rob Lowe became a talking point on social media after several on-air appearances, while clips featuring IShowSpeed quickly gained attention online.
The mix of actors, musicians, sports stars, politicians and digital creators highlighted the World Cup’s status as a global cultural event as much as a sporting competition. As the United States celebrated a memorable victory on opening night, the atmosphere inside SoFi Stadium reflected the scope of a tournament capable of drawing attention from all corners of popular culture.
For one evening in Los Angeles, soccer shared the spotlight with some of the world’s biggest celebrities, providing a fitting start to a World Cup that promises to captivate audiences on and off the pitch.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
June 13, 2026 10:15 AM IST