Paraguay at FIFA World Cup 2026

Paraguay return to theFIFA World Cup 2026 after a 16-year absence, with Gustavo Alfaro's La Albirroja making their first appearance at the tournament since the South Africa 2010 quarter-final run.

The Paraguay national football team opened Group D with a 4-1 defeat to co-hosts the United States at SoFi Stadium on Friday 12 June. The rout began with a Damián Bobadilla own goal in the 7th minute before Folarin Balogun's first-half brace and Giovanni Reyna's late strike exposed the gulf in attacking quality, with Maurício's 73rd-minute header providing the only consolation.

Paraguay now face Türkiye in Santa Clara and Australia at the same venue needing two results to keep best-third-placed qualification realistic.

Quick Betting Snapshot

Sportsbet.io recommended bet: Paraguay to qualify from Group D at +325. The opening-match defeat has lengthened the price significantly, but Paraguay's defensively organised setup is built for the kind of attritional matches Türkiye and Australia present, the third-placed qualification path remains viable in the 48-team format, and captain Gustavo Gómez's experience makes a controlled tactical bounce-back realistic on MD2.

Paraguay Tournament Context: 9th World Cup Appearance

Paraguay are making their ninth appearance at a FIFA World Cup and their first since South Africa 2010, a 16-year absence that defines the emotional weight of the 2026 campaign. Their previous appearances came in 1930, 1950, 1958, 1986, 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2010. The 2010 South Africa campaign remains the high-water mark of Paraguayan football: La Albirroja topped Group F ahead of Slovakia, New Zealand, and Italy, beat Japan in the Round of 16 on penalties, and pushed eventual winners Spain to a single-goal quarter-final defeat. Paraguay reached the Copa América final the following year. Across all eight previous appearances, they have never progressed beyond the last eight.

Missing out on Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, and Qatar 2022 made the return for 2026 a generational project, with three CONMEBOL campaigns ending without qualification and significant coaching turnover before Gustavo Alfaro stabilised the project. Paraguay sit in the No. 36 range of the FIFA world rankings, having claimed the sixth and final automatic CONMEBOL spot ahead of seventh-placed Bolivia.

Head coach Gustavo Alfaro, the 63-year-old Argentinian, took charge in 2024 as Paraguay's third coach since Qatar 2022, following Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Daniel Garnero. Alfaro previously coached Ecuador at Qatar 2022 (beating the hosts 2-0 before a group-stage exit on goal difference) and Costa Rica, with his most successful club spell at Arsenal de Sarandí. His tactical identity is conservative and pragmatic: a deep 4-4-2 block, rapid counters through the wide forwards, physical midfield duels, and time-management football. The Paraguay manager World Cup brief is clear: deliver a first knockout-stage appearance since 2010 and rebuild national belief after 16 years away.

Road to the World Cup 2026

Paraguay qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 through the CONMEBOL South American round-robin format, finishing sixth in the 10-team group with 28 points from 18 matches, 10 points behind champions Argentina.

Qualifying record: 7 wins, 7 draws, 4 losses across 18 matches.

• Standout result: A 1-0 home win over Argentina at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción on 14 November 2024, with substitute Antonio Sanabria scoring the only goal of a famous Paraguay victory over the reigning world champions. Paraguay also recorded a 1-0 home win over Brazil at the same venue in June 2025, the second key home result that sent La Albirroja toward qualification.
• Worst result: A 5-1 home defeat to Colombia at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco in October 2023, the heaviest loss of the campaign and the result that led to Daniel Garnero's eventual replacement by Alfaro.
• Top scorer during qualifying: The qualifying scoring chart was distributed across multiple forwards, with Antonio Sanabria, Julio Enciso (3 goals), and Miguel Almirón all contributing key strikes alongside Damián Bobadilla and the new wave of attacking midfielders. The scattered scoring reflects Alfaro's tactical preference for collective attacking output rather than reliance on a single number nine.

The most significant developments across the cycle were the post-Garnero appointment of Gustavo Alfaro, the emergence of Julio Enciso as a senior international after his Brighton-to-Strasbourg transfer in summer 2025, and the integration of Premier League-based defender Omar Alderete (Sunderland) and Diego Gómez (Brighton) into the regular starting XI. Paraguay won five consecutive home qualifiers under Alfaro before drawing the last fixture, the strongest home stretch in CONMEBOL qualifying. Pre-tournament preparation included a comfortable friendly win over Nicaragua in Asunción in early June 2026.

Paraguay Full Squad List

Gustavo Alfaro announced his confirmed 26-player Paraguay World Cup 2026 squad on Sunday 1 June 2026. The Paraguay World Cup squad 2026 reflects Alfaro's tactical priorities, with heavy representation from the Brazilian Brasileirão (six players, including captain Gustavo Gómez at Palmeiras and Fabián Balbuena at Grêmio), the Premier League trio of Omar Alderete (Sunderland), Diego Gómez (Brighton), and Gustavo Caballero (Portsmouth, in the EFL Championship), and a strong domestic core from Cerro Porteño and Olimpia. Manchester United teenager Diego León (capped earlier in qualifying) was the most notable omission from the final 26.

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

The squad mixes the experienced spine of the 2010-2018 era veterans (Junior Alonso, Fabián Balbuena, Gustavo Gómez, Miguel Almirón) with the breakthrough European-based generation (Enciso, Alderete, Diego Gómez, Sosa). Six players are based in the Brasileirão, four in the Premier League / EFL Championship, and three in MLS, giving Paraguay one of the more geographically distributed squads in the tournament.

Key Paraguay Players to Watch at the World Cup 2026

Gustavo Gómez (Captain, Centre-back, Palmeiras)

The 32-year-old Palmeiras captain is the Paraguay captain and the defensive leader of Alfaro's deep 4-4-2 system. Gómez has 88 international caps and 8 goals across a Paraguay career that has spanned the post-2010 generational transition and is the most decorated Paraguayan player of his era, with league titles in Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil on his CV alongside a Copa Libertadores triumph at Palmeiras.

His club career took him from Cerro Porteño through Lanús to AC Milan (where he spent two seasons in Serie A) before settling at Palmeiras in 2018. He has captained the Brazilian giants to multiple Brasileirão titles and the Copa Libertadores, and his aerial dominance and reading of the game are the foundation of Paraguay's defensive structure.

Sportsbet.io player prop tip: Gustavo Gómez to score from a set piece at the tournament at +650 is the long-shot aerial-threat angle. Paraguay to keep a clean sheet against Australia at +275 is the team-level market that depends heavily on Gómez's central defensive work.

Miguel Almirón (Attacking Midfielder, Atlanta United)

The 32-year-old Atlanta United playmaker is Paraguay's most-capped attacking player and the squad's emotional leader. Almirón made his name at Newcastle United between 2019 and 2024, scoring 35 Premier League goals across his Magpies career and becoming a fan-favourite under both Steve Bruce and Eddie Howe, before returning to MLS with Atlanta United in 2024.

For Paraguay, Almirón has 65 caps and 14 international goals, and his combination of pressing intensity, late runs into the box, and ball-carrying through midfield zones makes him the connective tissue between Alfaro's compact defensive shape and the attacking outlets out wide.

Sportsbet.io player prop tip: Miguel Almirón to provide an assist at the tournament at +275 is value given his creative role. Almirón to score against Türkiye at +400 is the standout match-prop angle on MD2.

Julio Enciso (Right Winger / Attacking Midfielder, RC Strasbourg)

The 22-year-old Strasbourg attacking midfielder is Paraguay's most exciting young attacking talent and the player whose ceiling defines La Albirroja's medium-term future. Enciso burst onto the European scene at Brighton & Hove Albion under Roberto De Zerbi, scoring some of the Premier League's most spectacular goals of the 2022-23 season, before injury issues and squad rotation under Fabian Hürzeler led to his summer 2025 move to BlueCo's Ligue 1 project at Strasbourg.

For Paraguay, Enciso has 31 caps and 4 international goals, including three goals across the CONMEBOL qualifying campaign. His ability to operate from either wing, run at full-backs in 1v1 situations, and finish from distance gives Paraguay the attacking unpredictability the system needs.

Sportsbet.io player prop tip: Julio Enciso to score against Türkiye at +375 is the standout match-prop bet on MD2. Enciso to be Paraguay's top tournament scorer at +400 is the value play given his Strasbourg form.

Antonio Sanabria (Striker, Cremonese)

The 30-year-old Cremonese striker is Paraguay's first-choice number nine and the player who scored the goal that beat Argentina 1-0 in qualifying. Sanabria's club career has taken him from Roma to Real Betis, Genoa, Torino, and now Cremonese (where he was a Serie A promotion key player in 2024-25), and his combination of physicality, hold-up play, and clinical finishing in the penalty area makes him the natural centre-forward for Alfaro's counter-attacking system.

For Paraguay, Sanabria has 50 caps and 9 international goals, with his recent form including the famous winner over Argentina and key qualifying strikes against Bolivia and Venezuela.

Sportsbet.io player prop tip: Antonio Sanabria to score against Türkiye at +275 is the standout match-prop bet given his role as Paraguay's primary penalty-area threat. Sanabria to be Paraguay's top tournament scorer at +350 is the value alternative to Enciso.

Omar Alderete (Centre-back, Sunderland)

The 29-year-old Sunderland centre-back is Paraguay's most consistent Premier League-based defender and the player whose ball-playing distribution provides the structural balance to Gustavo Gómez's aerial dominance. Alderete moved from Getafe to newly-promoted Sunderland in summer 2025 and established himself as a Premier League starter in his debut campaign, with the kind of left-footed distribution that gives Alfaro's build-up shape from the back.

For Paraguay, Alderete has 50 caps and 2 international goals, and his role alongside Gómez in the central defensive partnership is the spine on which the entire system rests.

Sportsbet.io player prop tip: Omar Alderete to receive a yellow card across the remaining group games at +250 is value given his ball-winning role. Paraguay clean sheet against Australia at +275 is the team-level angle that depends on his central defensive work.

Tactical Analysis: How Paraguay Will Play

Alfaro's Paraguay plays a disciplined 4-4-2 deep block, with two banks of four out of possession, rapid counters through Enciso and Almirón, and Sanabria's hold-up play as the central pivot. The expected lineup: Roberto Junior Fernández in goal; a back four of Juan Cáceres, Gustavo Gómez, Omar Alderete, and Alexandro Maidana; a midfield four of Julio Enciso, Damián Bobadilla, Mathías Villasanti, and Ramón Sosa; with Miguel Almirón and Antonio Sanabria up top.

Against the United States, Alfaro deployed broadly this shape and was overrun, with the collapse triggered by an early Bobadilla own goal before Balogun's brace and Pulisic's creativity exposed the gap between Paraguay's structure and elite attacking quality.

Strengths: A selective rather than aggressive press, with two banks of four squeezing central zones and forcing opponents wide where the full-backs recover. Set pieces are a critical secondary route, with Gómez, Alderete, and Balbuena all aerial threats from Enciso or Almirón deliveries. In transition, Enciso's right-wing 1v1 quality, Almirón's late central runs, and Sosa's pace offer genuine counter-attacking outlets.

Vulnerabilities: The gap between qualifying-level structure and the elite international level, exposed brutally by the US. The full-back pairing of Cáceres and Maidana lack recovery pace against fast wingers, and a deep central pairing reliant on positional reading rather than pace is vulnerable to overload runs into the channels. The opener was also a reminder that the collapse can start with an unforced error rather than pure outclassing.

For betting markets: Paraguay matches under Alfaro lean toward low-scoring affairs against weaker sides and over-the-line defeats against superior ones. Both teams to score has hit in 4 of Paraguay's last 10 competitive matches, but the 4-1 US loss has unsettled the pattern. Under 2.5 goals at -110 is the safer Türkiye angle, with Paraguay under 1.5 team goals across remaining group games at -120 a structural play.

Paraguay World Cup 2026 Fixtures and Group D Analysis

View the Paraguay World Cup 2026 schedule below. Paraguay are in Group D alongside co-hosts the United States, Australia (AFC), and Türkiye (UEFA).

Group D verdict after MD1: The United States lead Group D with three points and a +3 goal difference after the 4-1 win over Paraguay, with Australia second on three points and a +2 GD after a 2-0 win over Türkiye at BC Place. Türkiye and Paraguay are both on zero points, with Paraguay's heavier goal difference putting La Albirroja bottom of the group. Paraguay's qualification path now requires beating Türkiye on MD2 and at least drawing with Australia on MD3, plus favourable third-placed tiebreakers across other groups.

The Türkiye vs Paraguay odds at +135 (Türkiye) and +250 (Paraguay) reflect the European side's status as MD2 favourites despite their own opening defeat. The Paraguay vs Australia odds at +220 (Paraguay) and +135 (Australia) acknowledge the Socceroos' winning start, with Australia three points and a positive goal difference clear of Paraguay before kick-off.

The pick of the group-stage matches for Paraguay World Cup betting value is Türkiye vs Paraguay at Levi's Stadium on 19 June. Both sides have lost their opening fixtures and need a result, the contrast between Türkiye's structured attacking play under Vincenzo Montella and Paraguay's deep block creates a tactical fixture, and the match is genuinely a knockout-style affair for best-third-placed qualification. Look at under 2.5 goals at -110 as a strong play given both teams' defensive identities, and Julio Enciso to score anytime at +375 as the standout individual prop.

Paraguay World Cup 2026 Betting Markets and Angles

The full Paraguay World Cup 2026 odds slate and the complete Paraguay World Cup betting market on Sportsbet.io covers outright winners, group qualification, match results, and player props for every La Albirroja fixture.

Outright Markets

The latest Paraguay World Cup 2026 odds and Paraguay outright odds World Cup markets reflect the dramatic post-MD1 shift in pricing. Paraguay to win World Cup odds have drifted to +25000 after the United States 4-1 win, with the qualify-from-group line moving from +175 pre-tournament to +325.

Player Markets

• Paraguay top tournament scorer: Julio Enciso +275 (favourite)
• Antonio Sanabria top Paraguay scorer: +350
• Miguel Almirón top Paraguay scorer: +500
• Sanabria Golden Boot longshot: +12500
• Enciso to score 2+ goals at the tournament: +400

Julio Enciso's combination of Strasbourg form, CONMEBOL qualifying scoring record (3 goals), and central role in Alfaro's attacking system makes him the favourite for Paraguay top scorer despite Sanabria's traditional number-nine role.

Match Markets to Watch

The standout match-level betting angle is Paraguay and Türkiye both teams to score at +135 on MD2. Both sides have lost their opening matches, both need goals to keep qualification realistic, and the tactical contrast between Türkiye's attacking commitment and Paraguay's structured counter-attacking creates a fixture where both attacking units should find chances.

A consistent pattern worth noting: Paraguay won five consecutive home qualifiers under Alfaro before drawing the final one, but the team's away form has been significantly weaker. Across all neutral-venue fixtures in the past 18 months, Paraguay have scored more than once in only three of nine matches, making over 1.5 Paraguay team goals a tough market across the remaining tournament fixtures.

Specials and Novelty

Sportsbet.io is running tournament-long Paraguay specials including:

• Paraguay to qualify from Group D as a third-placed side
• Julio Enciso to score against Australia
• Gustavo Gómez to lift Paraguay's first World Cup knockout match win since 2010
• Antonio Sanabria to score against Türkiye
• Paraguay to keep a clean sheet across the remaining group games

Paraguay World Cup Predictions and Sportsbet.io Verdict

Sportsbet.io's full Paraguay World Cup predictions and Paraguay World Cup tips cover ceiling, floor, and most likely outcome scenarios after the MD1 setback.

Realistic ceiling: Round of 16 appearance. The 48-team format genuinely helps Paraguay, who can qualify as one of the eight best third-placed sides with a win over Türkiye and a competitive scoreline against Australia. From there, a kind Round of 32 draw against a Pot 1 or Pot 2 third-placed opponent could open the door to a Round of 16 appearance, which would equal the 2010 South Africa template.

Realistic floor: Group-stage exit with zero points. If Paraguay fail to beat Türkiye and lose to Australia, La Albirroja will finish bottom of Group D with no points and a heavy goal difference. The 4-1 US defeat has already erased the pre-tournament narrative of Paraguay as a defensive returner with surprise upset potential.

Most likely outcome: Group-stage exit with three points and a negative goal difference. Paraguay beat Türkiye in the MD2 must-win, lose narrowly to Australia, and exit on three points with insufficient goal difference for best-third-placed qualification. The Türkiye fixture is everything for Alfaro's side.

Sportsbet.io's recommended bet: Paraguay to qualify from Group D at +325 is the standout value on the board. The MD1 setback has lengthened the price significantly, but the 48-team format third-placed path remains viable, and Paraguay's defensive structure is suited to the kind of attritional Türkiye fixture that awaits. For higher-payoff options, Julio Enciso to be Paraguay's top tournament scorer at +275 is the cleanest player prop on the page, and Paraguay to beat Türkiye at +250 is the standout match-level angle.

Paraguay World Cup 2026 FAQ

When does Paraguay play their first World Cup 2026 match?

Paraguay played their opening Group D match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Friday 12 June 2026 against the United States at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The match ended 4-1 to the United States, who took the lead through a Damián Bobadilla own goal in the 7th minute before Folarin Balogun scored a first-half brace and Giovanni Reyna added a late fourth, with Maurício scoring Paraguay's consolation in the 73rd minute. Paraguay's next match is against Türkiye at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on Friday 19 June at 21:00 PT.

Which group is Paraguay in at the World Cup 2026?

Paraguay are in Group D at the FIFA World Cup 2026, alongside co-hosts the United States, Australia, and Türkiye.

Who is Paraguay's head coach at the World Cup 2026?

Gustavo Alfaro is the Paraguay head coach. The 63-year-old Argentinian was appointed in 2024 as Paraguay's third head coach since Qatar 2022, following Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Daniel Garnero. Alfaro previously coached Ecuador at Qatar 2022 and Costa Rica before taking the Paraguay job, with his most successful club spell at Argentine side Arsenal de Sarandí delivering the Clausura championship and the Copa Sudamericana.

What are Paraguay's odds to win the World Cup 2026?

Paraguay are priced at +25000 (251.00) to win the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Sportsbet.io as a long-shot pick. To qualify from Group D (post-MD1), Paraguay are +325, and to reach the Round of 32, +325.

Who is Paraguay's star player at the World Cup 2026?

Captain Gustavo Gómez (Palmeiras, 88 caps) is Paraguay's most decorated active player and the defensive leader of the squad. Strasbourg winger Julio Enciso (22 years old, former Brighton attacker) is the most exciting young talent and Paraguay's most likely top tournament scorer. Atlanta United playmaker Miguel Almirón (formerly Newcastle United), Cremonese striker Antonio Sanabria, and Sunderland Premier League centre-back Omar Alderete are the squad's other standout names.

Has Paraguay ever won the World Cup?

No. Paraguay have never won the FIFA World Cup. Their best result remains the quarter-final run at South Africa 2010, where Paraguay pushed eventual champions Spain to a 0-0 draw before losing 1-0 to a David Villa goal. Paraguay also reached the 2011 Copa América final the following year. The 2026 tournament is Paraguay's first World Cup since 2010, ending a 16-year absence.

Where can I bet on Paraguay at the World Cup 2026?

You can bet on every Paraguay World Cup 2026 market on Sportsbet.io, including outright winners, group qualification, match results, player props on Julio Enciso, Antonio Sanabria, Miguel Almirón, Gustavo Gómez, and Omar Alderete, and a wide range of La Albirroja specials. Live in-play betting is available on all Paraguay matches.

Bet on Paraguay at the World Cup 2026 with Sportsbet.io

The 16-year wait is over. La Albirroja return to the World Cup built on the experienced defensive spine of captain Gustavo Gómez and Omar Alderete, the creativity of Miguel Almirón and Julio Enciso, and Gustavo Alfaro's deep 4-4-2 system, with the qualification picture wide open after the MD1 setback against the United States. Their campaign continues against Türkiye at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on 19 June and closes against Australia at the same venue on 25 June.

Sportsbet.io will price every Paraguay market, every player prop on Enciso, Sanabria, Almirón, Gómez, Alderete, and the entire La Albirroja squad, plus every in-play moment across the campaign, with live odds updates throughout each match.

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Related Sportsbet.io FIFA World Cup 2026 Pages

• FIFA World Cup 2026 Hub
• World Cup 2026 Matches
• Group D Betting Hub
• Outright Winner Odds
• Pick 'Em Contest
• United States at the World Cup 2026
• Australia at the World Cup 2026
• Türkiye at the World Cup 2026