Paraguay at the World Cup 2026 | Squad, Fixtures & Odds

World Cup 2026 group and fixtures

Group D is the most navigable host-containing draw at World Cup 2026, and Paraguay sit second favourites to qualify behind USA on most books. The Albirroja open in Inglewood against the co-hosts in front of an expected pro-American crowd at SoFi Stadium, before facing Turkey in Santa Clara and closing the group against Australia at the same Levi’s Stadium venue. Get something out of the opener and the last-32 path opens quickly.

Paraguay World Cup 2026 squad

Alfaro’s selection blends a Brazilian-Serie-A spine (Gustavo Gómez at Palmeiras, Antonio Sanabria at Torino in Italy after a Serie A career), a Premier League-tested defender in Omar Alderete at Sunderland, and the country’s most-creative core of Almirón, Enciso and Diego Gómez. The 26-man tournament list is due in late May.

Goalkeepers (provisional, as of May 2026)

Defenders (provisional, as of May 2026)

Midfielders (provisional, as of May 2026)

Forwards (provisional, as of May 2026)

How Paraguay will play

Alfaro has settled on a 4-3-3 with Andrés Cubas anchoring the midfield as the destructive base, allowing Diego Gómez and Matías Villasanti to push into the half-spaces. Out of possession the side compresses into a 4-5-1 mid-block, with Almirón and Enciso tucking back to support the full-backs — the structure that made the home win over Argentina possible.

The strength is the Gustavo Gómez-Omar Alderete centre-back partnership and a goalkeeper, Roberto Fernández, who has come of age across the qualifying campaign. Paraguay conceded fewer goals than any side in the bottom half of the CONMEBOL table and posted four clean sheets in the run-in. Sanabria’s bicycle kick against Argentina is the highlight reel; Almirón’s vertical running is the game state Alfaro builds every plan around.

The vulnerability is creating consistent chances. Just 14 goals in 18 qualifying games made the Albirroja the joint-lowest direct qualifier in CONMEBOL, and there are matches in which the front three is asked to manufacture entire game states from one or two transition moments. The 1-2 friendly defeat in Chester to USA in November 2025 was a preview: the Albirroja stayed in the game, but couldn’t break the hosts down once they fell behind.

Predicted XI (4-3-3)

Predicted starting XI — 4-3-3. Captain: Gustavo Gómez.

Manager: Gustavo Alfaro

Argentine coach Alfaro took the Paraguay job in August 2024 with the Albirroja stranded in ninth in CONMEBOL. He had previously taken Ecuador to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with Boca Juniors, Huracán, Tigre and Arsenal Saraní on the club CV. The turnaround was immediate: home wins over Argentina (2-1) and Uruguay (2-0) in successive windows, and direct qualification sealed with two matches to spare. The federation has already opened conversations about extending him through the 2030 World Cup that Paraguay will co-host.

Captain: Gustavo Gómez

The Palmeiras captain is the defining figure of Paraguay’s modern back four. Two-time Copa Libertadores winner with the São Paulo side, former AC Milan defender and a centre-back whose aerial dominance and on-field leadership have been the hinge of Alfaro’s tactical setup. Now 32 with 88-plus senior caps, World Cup 2026 will almost certainly be his only senior tournament — and the platform that defines his international career.

Paraguay players to watch at World Cup 2026

Miguel Almirón — Right winger, Atlanta United

Returned to MLS from Newcastle in 2025 and immediately re-established himself as Paraguay’s vertical-running creator-in-chief. The most-used outlet in transition; Alfaro’s plan against the USA opener is to feed Almirón behind their full-backs at every opportunity.

Antonio Sanabria — Centre-forward, Torino

Top scorer in qualifying with four goals at decisive moments — the bicycle-kick equaliser against Argentina the most famous, but the late winner against Venezuela in matchday 17 the most-decisive. A name to watch in the Golden Boot market at three-figure prices.

Julio Enciso — Left winger, Strasbourg

The most technically gifted Paraguayan in a generation. Joined Strasbourg from Brighton in summer 2025 in search of regular minutes after his injury-disrupted Premier League years. Locked down the left-sided creative slot in qualifying.

Gustavo Gómez — Centre-back / captain, Palmeiras

The defensive leader. Two-time Copa Libertadores winner at Palmeiras and the player whose voice and aerial dominance define the entire defensive setup.

Omar Alderete — Centre-back, Sunderland

Premier League regular at Sunderland following their 2025 promotion. The cleaner reader of play in the Gómez-Alderete partnership and the side’s primary recovery defender.

How Paraguay qualified for World Cup 2026

Paraguay finished sixth in the CONMEBOL standings — a direct-qualification spot — despite a campaign that had stalled at ninth before Alfaro’s August 2024 appointment. The new manager’s first home cycle delivered three wins from four (Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela) and the Albirroja sealed their first World Cup berth since 2010 with two matches to spare. Antonio Sanabria’s four qualifying goals were the difference at the sharp end.

The standout result was the 2-1 home win over Lionel Messi’s Argentina at Estadio Defensores del Chaco in November 2024, with Sanabria’s bicycle-kick equaliser the most-replayed image of the campaign. The lone significant defeat in the second-half run was the 1-0 loss to Brazil at Neo Química Arena in June 2025 — a match Paraguay lost on a Vinicius Junior winner late on.

Paraguay’s World Cup history

Eight previous World Cup appearances and one quarter-final — South Africa 2010 remains the deepest the Albirroja have run in the competition. The country’s footballing identity is built around the goalkeeper-captain José Luis Chilavert, the round-of-16 sides of 1998, 2002 and 2010, and the 1986 generation that fell to England in the round of 16 in Mexico. Three different first-round exits sit at the entry point of the country’s tournament history (1930, 1950, 1958).

Two moments still in heaviest rotation. Justo Villar’s penalty heroics against Japan in the round of 16 in 2010 (the only previous World Cup penalty shootout Paraguay have won) and Chilavert’s 1998 free-kick goal against Bulgaria — the goalkeeper’s set-piece contribution at France 98 remains the country’s most-replayed individual moment.

Paraguay’s recent form

Last five senior internationals (most recent first):

• 31 Mar 2026 — Morocco — 1-2 L — Friendly (Rabat) — Caballero late goal
• 27 Mar 2026 — Greece — Friendly (Athens) — pre-World Cup European tour
• 18 Nov 2025 — USA — 1-2 L — Friendly (Chester, PA) — Almirón goal
• 09 Sep 2025 — Peru — 0-0 D — WC qualifier (Asunción) — qualification clinched
• 04 Sep 2025 — Ecuador — 1-0 W — WC qualifier — Sanabria

The November 2025 friendly defeat to USA at Chester was the dress rehearsal of the 12 June opener — and a 1-2 result that gave Alfaro plenty to work on. The March European tour added a 2-1 defeat in Rabat with Morocco scoring twice in five second-half minutes.

Paraguay World Cup 2026 odds

Paraguay are 300/1 with Bet365 to win the tournament outright, mid-table among the 48 sides in the World Cup winner odds market. Group D prices read like the second-favourites tag the bookmakers attach to them: 11/2 to win the group, 4/9 to escape the first round under the 48-team format. The qualify-from-group market is the live one for Paraguay backers and the priced fixture is the USA opener — a result there could quickly turn the entire campaign.

Odds correct as of 5 May 2026 and subject to change. For the full World Cup 2026 outright market, group winners and golden-boot specials, see our World Cup 2026 betting hub.

Head-to-head record

Paraguay vs USA

Seven prior senior meetings since 1930, with the USA leading 4-1-2. The Americans have won the past three encounters, most recently a 2-1 friendly in Chester, Pennsylvania in November 2025 with Almirón scoring for Paraguay. The 12 June 2026 opener at SoFi Stadium is the first World Cup meeting between the two countries.

Paraguay vs Turkey

Five prior meetings, all friendlies. Turkey shaded the most-recent encounter 2-1 in Istanbul in 2025; the only previous senior fixture in Asunción finished 0-0 in 1995. The 20 June group game in Santa Clara will be the first competitive fixture between the two countries.

Paraguay vs Australia

Five prior meetings between the nations. The most-recent was a 1-0 friendly defeat for Paraguay in Sydney in 2010, and the teams have never previously met in a competitive fixture. The all-time record sits roughly even with Australia holding a slight edge.

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