FanDuel Offers $350 Bonus Bets for 2026 World Cup as USA Opens vs. Paraguay

Q: Coach Pochettino doubts his team's talent. Is this a clever tactic or a warning of an early American exit?

It looks more like a motivational tactic than a red flag of panic. The available reporting does not show Mauricio Pochettino publicly doubting the USMNT’s talent. In fact, he has repeatedly said he trusts the 26-man squad, believes it can “perform,” and has stressed that the challenge is to unify the group rather than question its quality. His broader message has been about culture, chemistry and competitiveness — a familiar tournament approach from elite coaches trying to harden a team for knockout football. That said, the caution around the U.S. is real. The team has tactical uncertainty under a coach still early in his international tenure, only one clean sheet in its last 14 matches, and lingering concerns over defense, goalkeeping and consistency against stronger opponents. Those are legitimate warning signs, especially in a World Cup where one bad night can reshape a group. The counterweight is also substantial. The U.S. is at home, favored against Paraguay, and has a talent base led by Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson and Folarin Balogun that should be enough to get out of Group D. The expanded 48-team format also gives strong hosts a slightly wider margin for error. So Pochettino’s rhetoric is best read as calculated pressure management, not surrender. But if the defensive issues persist, the line between clever messaging and an early exit could narrow quickly.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Jun 12

$350 in bonus bets is available to new FanDuel users who wager $5 a day for seven days during the 2026 World Cup, with no promo code required.
$50 in bonus bets is issued per qualifying day and credited within 72 hours after a wager settles; the credits expire after 72 hours and cannot be withdrawn as cash.
Friday’s featured match has the United States opening against Paraguay at 9 p.m. ET, with FanDuel listing the USMNT at -105, Paraguay at +310 and the draw at +240.
The promotion is aimed at World Cup bettors as Team USA begins its campaign after losing three of its past four matches, though those defeats came against top-10 opponents.