Paraguay — World Cup 2026 Predictions & Squad Analysis

FIFA Ranking: #40 · Manager: Gustavo Alfaro
Style: Gustavo Alfaro is known for his pragmatic and tactically disciplined approach, often prioritizing a solid defensive structure and organized play. His teams typically aim to be compact, making them difficult to break down, and often look to exploit opponents through quick transitions and counter-attacks. He emphasizes tactical intelligence and collective effort over individual flair, aiming for efficiency and resilience.

Group D

#40

FIFA Ranking

35%

Advance

0%

Win Tournament

Group Stage

AI Predicted Finish

AI TOURNAMENT PREDICTION — PARAGUAY

Group

R32

R16

QF

SF

Final

🏆

Win Group

0%

Round of 32

0%

Round of 16

0%

Quarter-Final

0%

Semi-Final

0%

Final

0%

Win Tournament

0%

Paraguay returns to the World Cup stage in 2026, aiming to build on their disciplined performances under coach Gustavo Alfaro. Placed in a challenging Group D, their hopes will rest on a robust defense, the creativity of Miguel Almirón, and the burgeoning talent of Julio Enciso to spring an upset and navigate a path out of the group stage.

Paraguay in Group D

Date	Opponent	AI Pick	Score Pred.	Conf.
Sat, June 13, 2026	USA	Paraguay Loss	0-2	60%
Fri, June 19, 2026	Türkiye	Paraguay Draw	1-1	65%
Fri, June 26, 2026	Australia	Paraguay Win	1-0	55%

Full Group D predictions →

Paraguay Squad — Key Players

ATTACK

J. Enciso

Attacker

8

2025/26 Season: Big Chances Created

A. Sanabria

Attacker

10

2025/26 Season: Goals Scored

R. Sosa

Attacker

2.5

2025/26 Season: Dribbles Completed per 90

MIDFIELD

A. Cubas

Midfielder

9.0

2025/26 Season: Recoveries per 90

M. Almirón

Midfielder

12

2025/26 Season: Goals + Assists

D. Gómez

Midfielder

88%

2025/26 Season: Pass Completion Rate

DEFENSE & GK

J. Espínola

Goalkeeper

72%

2025/26 Season: Save Percentage

G. Gómez

Defender

4.5

2025/26 Season: Tackles + Interceptions per 90

O. Alderete

Defender

150

2025/26 Season: Clearances

B. Riveros

Defender

50

2025/26 Season: Crosses into Box

✅ STRENGTHS

Experienced and physical defense, led by captain Gustavo Gómez.
Tactical discipline and strong defensive organization under Gustavo Alfaro.
Dangerous on the counter-attack, utilizing the pace of players like Almirón and Enciso.
Emerging young talents (Enciso, D. Gómez, León) provide a fresh dynamic.

⚠️ WEAKNESSES

Inconsistent goal-scoring, often lacking a prolific striker.
Lack of creative depth in midfield outside of a few key players.
Vulnerability against teams that dominate possession and dictate tempo.
Ageing key players like Richard Fernandez (37) and Gustavo Ávalos (35) might struggle with tournament intensity.

Paraguay — Betting Markets

Market	AI Prob.	Odds	Implied	Value?
Win World Cup	0%	500	0%	—
Qualify from Group D	25%	3	33%	✅ Value

Paraguay vs Likely Opponents

R32

Paraguay vs

Argentina

15%

85%

If Paraguay finishes second in Group D, they would likely face the winner of Group C, potentially a strong contender like Argentina.

Paraguay — World Cup History

Year	Host	Result	Key Moment
1930	Uruguay	Group Stage	Participated in the inaugural World Cup.
1986	Mexico	Round of 16	Reached the Round of 16, ultimately losing to England.
1998	France	Round of 16	Advanced to the Round of 16, famously losing to hosts France via a golden goal in extra time.
2002	South Korea & Japan	Round of 16	Qualified for the Round of 16 for the third consecutive time.
2010	South Africa	Quarter-Final	Achieved their best-ever World Cup performance, reaching the quarter-finals before a narrow 1-0 loss to eventual champions Spain.