There have already been several surprises at the 2026 World Cup, but none was more unexpected than Paraguay‘s penalty shootout victory over Germany in the Round of 32 to reach the last 16. Their next opponent is France.
The match between Paraguay and France is scheduled for July 4, just one day after the Round of 32 concludes. While France may enter as the favorite, Germany’s elimination showed that no team can afford to underestimate its opponent.
Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET at Philadelphia Stadium, one of the tournament’s largest venues with a capacity of 67,593. The stadium should see another packed crowd as Paraguay attempt to continue their remarkable run against a great team.
Their previous match
The two teams reached this stage in very different ways. While the tournament has already produced several surprises, including Cape Verde’s draw against Spain, Paraguay and France booked their places in the Round of 16 with contrasting performances.
Orlando Gill was Paraguay’s hero against Germany (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Paraguay’s victory was filled with tension. Germany came from behind to level the match at 1-1, had a goal disallowed in extra time, and Paraguay missed two penalties that could have sealed the shootout before finally advancing.
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France, meanwhile, had a much more comfortable path. They showcased their attacking quality throughout the match against Sweden, securing a 3-0 victory to book their place in the Round of 16 with an impressive all-around performance.
A famous antecedent
These teams have produced two memorable meetings. The first came at the 1958 World Cup, when Paraguay led 3-2 before France mounted a comeback to win 7-3. They met again in the Round of 16 in 1998, where eventual champions France needed a 114th-minute golden goal from Laurent Blanc to eliminate Paraguay.
