Germany will take on Paraguay in the Round of 32 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Tuesday (IST), with a place in the last 16 at stake.
The match is part of the newly introduced Round of 32 following FIFA’s expansion of the tournament to 48 teams.
Germany enter the contest as favourites after topping Group E, but Paraguay have already shown they can frustrate stronger opponents with their disciplined defensive approach and organised style of play. With knockout football leaving no room for error, both teams will be aiming to keep their World Cup dreams alive.
Germany’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Campaign So Far
Germany enjoyed a commanding start to their World Cup campaign by thrashing tournament debutants Curaçao 7-1 in their opening Group E fixture.
Julian Nagelsmann’s men followed that emphatic victory with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Ivory Coast, securing qualification for the knockout stages with one group match still to play.
However, Germany stumbled in their final group game, suffering a surprise 2-1 defeat to Ecuador. Despite the loss, they finished top of Group E with six points, edging Ivory Coast on the head-to-head rule after both teams ended with the same number of points.
The qualification marks Germany’s return to the World Cup knockout stages for the first time since 2014. After disappointing group-stage exits in both 2018 and 2022, Die Mannschaft will be determined to make a deep run in the expanded tournament.
Germany’s Top Performer
Forward Deniz Undav has been Germany’s standout attacking player, scoring three goals in three appearances. Despite not being a regular starter, the Stuttgart striker has emerged as the team’s leading scorer in the competition.
Paraguay’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Campaign
Paraguay endured a difficult beginning to their World Cup journey, suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to co-hosts the United States in their opening Group D fixture.
However, Gustavo Alfaro’s side responded strongly by defeating Türkiye 1-0 before earning a valuable 0-0 draw against Australia in their final group-stage match.
With one win, one draw and one defeat, Paraguay collected four points and progressed as one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed teams.
The 2026 edition marks Paraguay’s ninth FIFA World Cup appearance and their first since the 2010 tournament in South Africa, ending a 16-year absence from football’s biggest stage.
Their best-ever World Cup performance also came in 2010 when they reached the quarter-finals before losing narrowly to eventual champions Spain.
Paraguay’s Top Scorers
Midfielders Matías Galarza and Mauricio have each scored once during the tournament and remain Paraguay’s joint-leading scorers heading into the knockout stages.
Germany vs Paraguay: Match Details
Match: Germany vs Paraguay
Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32
Date: Tuesday, June 30 (IST)
Kick-off Time: 2:00 AM IST
Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA
Germany vs Paraguay Head-to-Head Record
- Matches Played: 2
- Germany Wins: 1
- Paraguay Wins: 0
- Draws: 1
Recent Form
Germany
L-W-W-W-W
Paraguay
D-W-L-W-L
Germany Predicted Playing XI
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Manuel Neuer; Antonio Rudiger, Jonathan Tah, Joshua Kimmich; David Raum, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Felix Nmecha, Leroy Sane; Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala; Kai Havertz
Germany Substitutes
Oliver Baumann, Alexander Nubel, Waldemar Anton, Nathaniel Brown, Malick Thiaw, Nadiem Amiri, Leon Goretzka, Pascal Gross, Jamie Leweling, Assan Ouedraogo, Angelo Stiller, Nick Woltemade, Deniz Undav, Maximilian Beier
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Paraguay Predicted Playing XI
Formation: 5-3-2
Orlando Gil; Alexandro Maidana, Omar Alderete, Gustavo Gomez, Gustavo Velazquez, Juan Jose Caceres; Matias Galarza, Andres Cubas, Diego Gomez; Julio Enciso, Gabriel Avalos
Paraguay Substitutes
Roberto Fernandez, Gaston Olveira, Junior Alonso, Jose Canale, Fabian Balbuena, Mauricio Magalhaes, Damian Bobadilla, Braian Ojeda, Alejandro Gamarra, Gustavo Caballero, Ramon Sosa, Alex Arce, Isidro Pitta, Miguel Almiron, Antonio Sanabria
Coach: Gustavo Alfaro
Players To Watch
Deniz Undav (Germany)
Deniz Undav has been Germany’s most effective attacking player despite not starting every match. The Stuttgart striker has scored three goals and also contributed two assists, making him one of the most influential forwards in the tournament so far.
Julio Enciso (Paraguay)
Julio Enciso remains Paraguay’s biggest attacking threat. The 22-year-old midfielder has Premier League experience with Brighton & Hove Albion and Ipswich Town and currently plays for French club Strasbourg. Paraguay will rely heavily on his creativity and pace against Germany’s experienced defence.
How To Watch Germany vs Paraguay Live In India
TV Broadcast
The Germany vs Paraguay FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match will be broadcast live on:
- Unite8 Sports 1
- Unite8 Sports 1 HD
- Unite8 Sports 2
- Unite8 Sports 2 HD
Live Streaming
Fans can watch the match live on the ZEE5 app and website.
The game will be available in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bangla.