Germany vs Paraguay | FIFA World Cup 2026 — Round of 32 | Preview and Prediction

Four-time champions Germany will take on Paraguay in this round of 32 fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Die Mannschaft will look to bounce back from that shocking defeat against Ecuador, while La Albirroja will approach this game full of confidence and belief that they can compete against any side in the world.

For the game, here we present our preview and prediction.

FIFA WC26 | Ro32: GER vs PAR | 02:00 IST, 30 June 2026

Germany have finally broken their hoodoo of not getting past the group stage at the men’s World Cup finals for the first time since 2014, but their journey has been far from smooth this time as well.

After kicking off their campaign in the best way possible, drubbing Curaçao 7–1, they were pushed hard by Côte d’Ivoire and were lucky not to have lost that game on account of the profligacy shown in front of goal by the Ivorians. It took a late brace from Denis Undav to get them all three points and the ticket to the next round.

If the performance against Ivory Coast was a warning shot, they did not heed it, because they fell to a stunning defeat against Ecuador despite having taken the lead as early as the second minute of the game courtesy of Leroy Sané before losing the plot in the second half to eventually lose the game.

Julian Nagelsmann’s men have shown in moments and phases why they are so highly touted to make it into the deeper stages of the tournament, but they have not translated that into a full 90-minute performance yet.

Midfielders Felix Nmecha and Aleksandar Pavlovic have not been at their best, failing to provide adequate cover to a defence that is already looking dodgy following an ankle injury to Nico Schlotterbeck, who is arguably Germany’s best centre-back. Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz are still stuck in the shadows of their ineffective club seasons, while the return of Manuel Neuer from retirement has only served to disrupt the team further, with his performances not exuding much confidence either.

However, there are positives. Undav has been among the goals, and Nathaniel Brown has been a breath of fresh air with his role as an inverted fullback, allowing the side a new layer of attacking variety. Schlotterbeck was a formidable presence at the heart of the defence until his injury.

Paraguay, on the other hand, have shown a massive improvement in their game after a rather poor start to their campaign in that defeat to the USA. They have gone back to basics and relied on their defensive prowess, as shown in back-to-back clean sheets against Türkiye and Australia to confirm their spot in the knockouts as one of the best third-placed sides in the competition.

While Paraguay will be massively boosted by the return of Miguel Almirón from his one-game suspension, they will also be hampered by the fact that midfielder Diego Gómez will miss this game after receiving two yellow cards last time out. His absence is a big blow, given that he is the conduit for Paraguay in the middle of the park, acting as a link between his side’s defence and attack while also being proficient in set-piece delivery.

Apart from Gómez, defender Omar Alderete is also nursing an injury and will be closely monitored ahead of the game. Paraguay will hope to get the ball as quickly as possible to the likes of Almirón and Julio Enciso to run at the German backline and create attacking opportunities to test Neuer.

This clash will be a classic one between Germany’s array of attacking talent and Paraguay’s defensive resolve. While Paraguay will definitely make life difficult for the Germans, we still believe that Germany are favourites to win this game and qualify for the round of 16.

Score Prediction: Germany 3–1 Paraguay
Venue: Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA