When the first World Cup match in the U.S.<\/a><\/span> kicks off, most eyes will be on the host country\u2019s home team. But for the small community of Paraguayans living in the U.S., it\u2019s a moment in the spotlight for their own treasured team, returning to the tournament after a 16-year absence.<\/p>\n Paraguayan fans across the United States have been planning barbecues and get-togethers to watch the team\u2019s group stage matches. While many balked at the prices<\/a><\/span> for Friday\u2019s match against the U.S., with seats selling for more than $1,000 each, some have already bought tickets to later matches.<\/p>\n Santiago Araujo, 32, is among them. His family owns one of the few Paraguayan restaurants in the U.S., in the seaside town of Pacific Grove, California. He and his brother scored tickets to see the team take on Australia in Santa Clara, California, about 80 miles (129 kilometers) away.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery Paraguayan I know wants to go,\u201d said Araujo, who moved to California with his family when he was 11. \u201cIt\u2019s not like there\u2019s seasons of any other sports in Paraguay. I used to sleep with a soccer ball as my toy.\u201d<\/p>\n There are some 37,000 Paraguayans living in the U.S., according to Census estimates, and they\u2019re eager for the team\u2019s long-awaited return to FIFA\u2019s prized tournament.<\/a><\/span> It\u2019s the first time Paraguay has clinched a World Cup spot<\/a><\/span> since 2010, when it had its best performance, reaching the quarterfinals. The team, which FIFA currently ranks 40th in the world, is making its ninth World Cup appearance.<\/p>\n The U.S. and Paraguay are joined in Group D<\/a><\/span> by Turkey and Australia, which Paraguay will respectively face on June 19 and June 25 in Santa Clara.<\/p>\n One of Paraguay\u2019s veteran players, midfielder Miguel Almir\u00f3n<\/a><\/span>, plays for the MLS\u2019 Atlanta United. At 32, he remembers watching that 2010 World Cup as a kid with hopes that someday he, too, would have the opportunity to play on soccer\u2019s biggest stage.<\/p>\nA long wait for the small, but dedicated, Paraguayan community<\/h2>\n