Paraguay vs Australia | FIFA World Cup 2026 — Group Stage | Preview and Prediction

The sequence of games deciding the outcomes of the groups continues, with this Group D match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Paraguay and Australia set to witness two teams on three points each face off with their qualification hopes on the line.

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

FIFA WC26 | Group D: PAR vs AUS | 07:30 IST, 26 June 2026

Paraguay started their World Cup in the worst way possible, losing rather comprehensively in a 4–1 shellacking against co-hosts USA, where they could not deal with the speed and intensity of the attacks and the direct nature of the American press.

However, they bounced back from that defeat to register what was not only a morale-boosting 1–0 win against Türkiye, but also one that left their chances of qualification wide open after Australia ended up losing 2–0 to the US.

Against Türkiye, everything that describes La Albirroja‘s style of play was on show. While the red card shown to Miguel Almirón for covering his mouth and speaking in a confrontational situation did not help matters, the defensive application put in by his side for the entire second half, repelling wave after wave of Turkish attack, would give them a lot of confidence going into the game against Australia, though they will have to do so without arguably their most tireless runner in Almirón, who remains suspended.

Australia, meanwhile, have time and again shown their resounding ability of punching well above their weight in World Cup finals, and this year has been no different.

The Socceroos started off by beating the highly rated Türkiye side with a classic smash-and-grab, defending robustly to repel their advances. They relied on their compact shape and endless running to make life difficult for the Crescent Stars.

However, they were not able to replicate the same grit and spirit when they faced the USA, against whom they slumped to a 2–0 defeat. Their performance felt a little disjointed and out of sync, and it just felt like Mauricio Pochettino’s men wanted the points a little bit more than they did.

These are two sides who play their football in the same vein, putting defensive organisation and compactness at the forefront. It all will come down to who will have the required quality in the final third when it matters — which is why we believe Paraguay start this contest as favourites for the win.

Score Prediction: Paraguay 1–0 Australia
Venue: San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Santa Clara, California, USA