Dan + Shay Bring SoFi Stadium To Its Feet With Emotional National Anthem Before USA’s World Cup Statement Win
The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially arrived on American soil in spectacular fashion Friday night, and before the United States Men’s National Team delivered a dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay, country music duo Dan + Shay gave fans a moment they won’t soon forget.
Standing before a crowd of more than 70,000 supporters at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney performed a powerful rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” ahead of kickoff. The emotional performance came as the World Cup returned to the United States for the first time in more than three decades, adding even more significance to the moment.
As the final notes echoed throughout the stadium, thousands of fans joined in singing, creating an atmosphere that many described as one of the most memorable moments of the night.
The patriotic performance seemed to set the tone for what followed on the field. The USMNT opened its World Cup campaign with an impressive 4-1 win over Paraguay, sending a message to the rest of the tournament.
One of the standout performers was defender Chris Richards, who delivered a historic display of precision. Richards completed all 83 of his passes during the match, setting a World Cup record for the most passes completed with 100 percent accuracy since official tracking began in 1966.
Following the game, Dan + Shay shared footage of their anthem performance on social media, where fans quickly flooded the comments with praise.
“Perfect vocals,” one fan wrote. Another called it the “best Star-Spangled Banner ever,” while others praised the duo for delivering a performance that matched the magnitude of the occasion. Even fellow musicians joined the conversation, with Michael Bublé commenting, “Beautiful.”
With a convincing opening victory now behind them, the United States will continue its World Cup journey against Australia in Seattle on June 19. But for many fans, the night will be remembered not only for the result on the scoreboard, but for the powerful moment when an entire stadium stood together and sang as one.
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