Stars fill the stands as United States open World Cup with Paraguay win

LOS ANGELES: The World Cup got under way in the United States on Friday with a celebrity-packed opening in Los Angeles, where the host nation beat Paraguay 4-1 at SoFi Stadium.

The crowd included a long list of well-known figures from film, music, sport and business. Among those in attendance were Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, George Lucas, Paris Hilton and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Also present were Halle Berry, Owen Wilson and Rob Lowe, according to AFP.

Singer Katy Perry, who performed during the opening ceremony, later took her place in the stands alongside former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau to watch the match. Former England captain David Beckham was also at the stadium, seated next to Cruise, only hours after receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. AFP reported that the latest recognition for Beckham followed his knighthood by Britain's King Charles last year, after which he became Sir David Beckham.

Basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was also among those supporting the home side as the United States claimed a 4-1 victory over what AFP described as a struggling Paraguay team. The result gave the hosts their highest-scoring World Cup match.

Opening ceremony launches US leg of tournament

Before kickoff, SoFi Stadium staged a large-scale opening ceremony marking the start of more than five weeks of World Cup football in the United States. The tournament is being co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.

The venue's giant screen showed a close-up of the Hollywood sign before a marching band began performing. They were joined by singers including Future, Tyla, Anitta and K-pop star Lisa. The ceremony's costumes and visual elements were designed to reflect Los Angeles street art and the city's creative industries.

Large FIFA letters, suspended from the roof of the stadium, were displayed in gold. AFP said the colour echoed the preference of US President Donald Trump, who was not present at the event.