The second day of the 2026 World Cup is the big one for American fans as the USMNT take the pitch to start what they hope will be a strong run at the world's biggest sporting event. Mauricio Pochettino's side has high hopes as they co-host World Cup 2026, with a roster led by Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun. They kick things off against Paraguay, and the other game on Friday's 2026 World Cup schedule features fellow co-host Canada vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Team USA vs. Paraguay kicks off at 9 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Ingelwood, Calif., and the USMNT are +105 favorites on the money line in the latest odds from FanDuel. The visitors are +290 underdogs, a 90-minute draw is priced at +220 and the Over/Under for total goals is 2.5 (Over +148, Under -184). Canada vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina kicks off at 3 p.m. ET at Toronto's BMO Field, and the Canadians are -125 favorites.
The name of the game is goals, and many soccer fans looking to make 2026 World Cup prop bets will be drawn to World Cup anytime goalscorers. Before you scan the odds for your World Cup 2026 ATGS picks, make sure you see what soccer expert Jim Holliman has to say about the best bet to score a goal today.
Holliman is a writer and editor who is in his second stint with CBS Sports and SportsLine, and he has a profound knowledge of world soccer. In his previous run, Holliman finished the 2022-23 Champions League season with a 23-14 record (+7.82) and went 25-17 (+5.27) on UCL picks in 2023-24.
Anyone following his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see some huge returns. For more 2026 World Cup coverage and picks, check out what the SportsLine Projection Model and our other experts have to say.
Best World Cup goalscorer picks for Thursday
- Folarin Balogun, USA (+230, FanDuel)
- Jonathan David, Canada (+190, FanDuel)
Folarin Balogun, USA (+230, FanDuel)
This isn't going out on a limb, for sure, but if the USMNT are going to get off to a strong start, Balogun and Pulisic are going to need to have big impacts. Pulisic finally broke his slump with a goal against Senegal in a friendly May 31, but scoring in a World Cup is never easy. Balogun can make things look effortless at times, and he and the attackers are usually on the same page. I'm expecting the Monaco man, who has nine international goals, to open his account in Team USA's opener. Balogun and Giovanni Reyna scored against Paraguay in a 2-1 friendly victory in November.
Jonathan David, Canada (+190, FanDuel)
This one isn't much of a stretch either as many ATGS bettors will be looking to Juventus man David, the team's all-time leading scorer. Cyle Larin is also in play here but David is the more promising options for bettors. He scored nine goals for Canada during World Cup qualifying and is the team's best threat going forward, especially with Alphonso Davies sidelined for the first match.
