Who is singing national anthem at France-Paraguay World Cup match in Philadelphia?
PHILADELPHIA — The World Cup makes its final stop in Philadelphia on Saturday, July 4, as France and Paraguay play for a spot in the quarterfinals, and the City of Brotherly Love is expected to go all out for it.
One of two Fourth of July knockout matches on the day, France vs. Paraguay will not just showcase stars such as Kylian Mbappé and Julio Enciso, but also an expanded pre‑match ceremony to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States in the city where the Declaration of Independence was signed.
That ceremony included a performance by Idina Menzel, who will sing the national anthem before the anthems of Les Bleus and La Albirroja.
France continued its dominance to reach the round of 16 game with a 3-0 win over Sweden on Tuesday, June 30, at MetLife Stadium. Mbappé recorded his third brace of the tournament, which initially put him one goal shy of tying Lionel Messi as the World Cup’s all-time scorer. The Real Madrid forward enters Saturday’s match two shy of Messi, as the Argentina icon scored on July 3 against Cape Verde.
Paraguay defeated Germany in penalty kicks in the round of 32 at Gillette Stadium on Jun 29 to reach Saturday’s contest. The La Albirroja’s win over Germany is not only one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, but also gave Paraguay its first knockout-round win in over two decades, with its last coming at the 2010 World Cup.
Here’s what to know:
Watch Idina Menzel perform national anthem at World Cup
Watch Menzel perform the national anthem at Lincoln Financial Field:
Who is singing national anthem of France vs Paraguay World Cup game?
Tony Award-winning actress Idina Menzel will perform the national anthem ahead of the round of 16 match between France and Paraguay, according to FIFA.
She confirmed her performance of the national anthem on Friday on her social media.
The pre-match Fourth of July ceremonies in the City of Brotherly Love don’t stop there. The Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale will join The Roots — the Philadelphia-originated hip-hop band that serves as Jimmy Fallon’s house band on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” — for a rendition of “America the Beautiful.”
Who is Idina Menzel?
Menzel is a Tony Award–winning actress who earned Broadway’s highest honor in 2004, winning Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Elphaba in “Wicked” alongside Kristin Chenoweth. She made her Broadway debut in “Rent” in 1996, which took Broadway by storm and won Best Musical at the Tony Awards.
In addition to her own singing and songwriting career, Menzel is also known as the voice of Elsa in Disney’s “Frozen.”
On July 3, Menzel performed with the Philly Pops in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia’s Old City neighborhood for a Fourth of July concert.
When is kickoff for France vs Paraguay at World Cup today?
- Date: Saturday, July 4
- Time: 5 p.m. ET
- Location: Philadelphia Stadium (Philadelphia)
The round of 16 matchup between France and Paraguay will start at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 4 at Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia.
What TV channel is France vs Paraguay at World Cup today? How to watch round of 16 match
- TV channels: Fox | Telemundo
- Streaming options: Fox Sports Go app | Fubo (Free Trial) | Peacock (Spanish Language)
Saturday’s World Cup match between France and Paraguay will be broadcast on Fox and Telemundo, with the latter carrying the Spanish-language broadcast. Streaming options include the Fox Sports Go app (with a TV login), Fubo, which carries Fox and offers a free trial to new subscribers, and Peacock, NBC’s subscription streaming service that will have the Spanish-language broadcast.
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.