Published On 7/3/2026
The Paraguayan national team will seek to achieve another surprise in the 2026 World Cup when it faces its French counterpart, the most prominent candidate to win the tournament in Philadelphia.
Paraguay succeeded in eliminating Germany, the four-time world champion, to reach the round of 16, while France achieved an easy victory over Sweden 3-0 in their match in the round of 32.
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France hopes to overcome the Paraguay obstacle in its quest to become the third team in history to play three consecutive final matches after being crowned champion in Russia in 2018 and reaching the final in Qatar 2022.
France is experiencing a wonderful offensive renaissance, as its 3-0 victory over Sweden in the round of 32 represented the fifth consecutive match in which it has scored at least three goals.
This record explains why the “Roosters” team is considered the most likely candidate to win the title, and their solidity in these rounds also strengthens their position, as the French team has not lost in its last seven matches in the qualifying rounds.
Despite suffering only two defeats in the last 23 World Cup matches (18 wins and 3 draws), the team continues to provide other remarkable numbers.
The date of the match between France and Paraguay in the World Cup
The France vs. Paraguay match will be held on Sunday, July 5, 2026, as part of the World Cup round of 16.
The starting whistle for the France-Paraguay match will sound at midnight (00:00) Mecca, Doha and Cairo time, one o’clock in the morning (01:00) Abu Dhabi time, and 10 pm (22:00) Rabat time.
Live broadcast channels for the France vs. Paraguay match
- beIN SPORTS MAX 2
- beIN SPORTS MAX 5
You can also follow live coverage of the match on Al Jazeera Net.
French control
France excels in the history of direct confrontations against Paraguay, as it has not lost to them in the last five of them (3 wins and 2 draws), including a 7-3 victory in the World Cup in 1958 and a 1-0 victory in the 16th round in 1998 on its way to the title.
France has a terrible attacking force, led by Kylian Mbappe, the top scorer in the current version, partnering with Argentine Lionel Messi with 6 goals each, along with Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Bradley Barkola, and Desiree Doue.
With his double against Sweden, Mbappe raised his tally to 18 goals in 18 matches at the World Cup and may threaten the record for the number of goals in a single edition, registered in the name of his compatriot Just Fontaine (13 goals in 1958). But he insists that his primary motivation is not individual glory.
“The goal is to go as far as we can, come back here on July 19 and try to win the title,” he said Tuesday at MetLife Stadium, which will host the final.
Possible lineup of France
Maignan, Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Tshwamini, Rabiot; Dembélé, Olise, Barkola; Mbappe.
Possible Paraguay lineup
Gil, Caceres, Gomez, Canali, Alonso; Galarza, Cubas, D. Gomez; Almiron, Avalos, Enciso.
