Dan + Shay stepped onto the midfield stage at SoFi Stadium, and all 70,492 fans fell silent. It had been 32 years since the FIFA World Cup was last held on American soil, and for the 2026 tournament opener against Paraguay, FIFA selected the Nashville country duo to perform the national anthem. Most people expected a solid performance. What they got was something far more memorable. Cameras captured Tom Cruise singing along to every word from the stands, while David Beckham was also spotted among the crowd. The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric long before the opening whistle. When Fox Sports later posted the performance online, the clip racked up 700,000 views in just three hours. Then the USMNT carried that same energy onto the pitch, cruising to a dominant 4–1 victory. It marked the first time in history that the United States had scored four goals in a World Cup match. On that night, Dan + Shay did more than perform the anthem—they helped set the tone for everything that followed.
admin Introduction A Harmonious Kickoff: Dan + Shay Set the Stage for USMNT’s Historic Victory When Dan + Shay stepped onto the midfield stage at SoFi Stadium, the roar of 70,492…