ARLINGTON, TEXAS — The United States Men's National Team opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Ghana on Sunday evening at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, capitalising on a Ghana squad that arrived in North America short of preparation time and missing key personnel after Thomas Partey was denied a Canadian visa earlier in the week.

Christian Pulisic, playing in front of a capacity crowd of over 90,000 in what was effectively a home fixture, opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a precise low finish from the edge of the box after a slick combination with Weston McKennie. The captain's goal set the tone for a dominant first-half display by Gregg Berhalter's side, who doubled their lead just before the break through a Folarin Balogun header from a Timothy Weah cross.

Ghana, severely disrupted by the visa saga surrounding Partey — who ultimately did not feature after failing to secure clearance in time — offered more resistance after halftime. Mohammed Kudus pulled one back in the 61st minute with a clinical individual effort, threatening a tense finish. However, the United States restored their two-goal advantage in the 78th minute when substitute Josh Sargent converted from close range to seal the result.

The absence of Partey, Ghana's most experienced midfield presence and captain, proved telling in the final third. Ghana head coach Otto Addo had spoken before the match about the disruption caused by the visa denial, and his side's inability to control the central areas reflected the gap left by their most influential player. Partey's situation drew attention throughout the week as a cautionary tale about tournament logistics in a tri-nation World Cup.

For the United States, the result is a near-ideal start to a tournament they are co-hosting, and will ease pressure on Berhalter heading into their next group fixture. The victory positions the USMNT strongly to advance from Group B, with their home-soil advantage expected to remain a significant factor throughout the group stage. Ghana will need a swift recovery if they are to remain in contention.