World Cup Preview: Paraguay

Paraguay are back in the World Cup after a 16-year absence and will be hoping that their defensive solidity will take them through to the knockout stages.

Fixtures (UK time)

USA, June 13, 2am
Turkey, June 20, 4am
Australia, June 26, 3am

How They Qualified

Paraguay beat Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay in qualifying and won six of their nine home games. In contrast, just one win away from home saw them qualify in sixth in South America qualifying.

The Manager

Gustavo Alfaro has created a Paraguay side that are hard to beat, having conceded just 10 goals in their 18 qualifying games. He came into the fold with plenty of international managerial experience, having led Ecuador at the 2022 World Cup and Costa Rica between 2023 and 2024.

The Star

Captain Gustavo Gomez is the key part of that defensive prowess that has come to encapsulate this Paraguay team. His career at Milan never quite took off, but he has proven himself to be one of the top defenders in South America since joining Palmeiras in 2019.

The Familiar Face

Most Newcastle United fans remember Miguel Almiron fondly. They paid £21m to sign him from Atlanta United in 2019, and he went on to make 223 appearances for the Magpies. He returned to Atlanta in January 2025.

Did you know?

Paraguay went through three different Argentinian managers during their qualifying campaign. Guillermo Barros Schelloto was replaced by Daniel Garnero, before Gustavo Alfaro took charge in 2024.

The Prediction

Group Stage

Paraguay will be aiming to reach the knockout stages, and may well do so with a win over any of their Group D rivals. On paper though, Paraguay don’t have the same attacking strength as either USA, Turkey or Australia.

Cover Photo: FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw Reception” by UKinUSA is licensed under CC BY SA 4.0 .