Paraguay vs France Prediction.Paraguay — who stunned four-time champions Germany on penalties — face tournament favourites France in the Round of 16 at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia on Sunday, 5 July 2026 (11:00 SAST (Sunday, 5 July 2026)). France have scored 13 goals in four matches; Mbappé drew level with Messi in the golden boot race. Our prediction: France to win. ] Full analysis, team news, line-ups and all markets on SportPesa.
Match details
| Field | Detail |
| Competition | 2026 FIFA World Cup — Round of 16 |
| Date & kick-off | Sunday, 5 July 2026 at 11:00 SAST (Sunday, 5 July 2026) |
| Venue | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| How they got here | Paraguay: beat Germany on penalties (1-1 AET) in the R32 — one of the tournament’s biggest upsets. France: beat Sweden 3-1 in the R32 (Mbappé brace, Barcola goal). |
| Format | Single elimination. If level after 90 mins: 30 mins extra time, then penalty shoot-out. |
| Where to watch | DSTV/GOTV |
The giant-killers vs the tournament favourites
Paraguay’s run to the Round of 16 is one of the great underdog stories of the 2026 World Cup. A heavy 4-1 opening defeat to co-hosts USA was followed by a battling 1-0 win over Turkey with ten men, a goalless draw against Australia, and then the defining moment: Julio Enciso’s opener against Germany, Kai Havertz’s equaliser, 120 minutes of defensive discipline and then a penalty shootout that produced one of the tournament’s most seismic results.
For this match, Gustavo Alfaro receives two players back from suspension: Miguel Almirón and Diego Gómez both return to the starting lineup. However, question marks remain over Enciso, who was forced off during the Germany match, and Omar Alderete, who missed that game. Confirm both before kick-off.
France, meanwhile, have been in imperious form. Didier Deschamps’ side have scored 13 goals in four matches — the highest tally of any team remaining in the competition. Kylian Mbappé scored twice against Sweden to draw level with Messi at the top of the golden boot race; it was the seventh time he has scored two or more goals in a World Cup match, more than any player in the tournament’s history. Michael Olise has been outstanding with five tournament assists; Bradley Barcola’s goal against Sweden likely keeps him in the lineup ahead of Désiré Doué.
The one change France may make: Theo Hernández could replace Lucas Digne at left-back after Digne’s defensive struggles against Sweden.
France have already become the first team in World Cup history to score three or more goals in five consecutive World Cup matches. They are also within one goal of becoming only the fourth nation to reach 150 World Cup goals after Brazil, Germany and Argentina.
Availability
| Player | Status |
| Julio Enciso (Paraguay) | DOUBT — forced off vs Germany in R32. Confirm fitness before kick-off. |
| Omar Alderete (Paraguay) | DOUBT — missed the Germany match. Confirm fitness before kick-off. |
| Miguel Almirón (Paraguay) | RETURNS — suspension served. Expected to start. |
| Diego Gómez (Paraguay) | RETURNS — suspension served. Expected to start. |
| Lucas Digne (France) | UNDER PRESSURE — Theo Hernández may replace after defensive struggles vs Sweden. |
Team news and expected line-ups
Paraguay: Almirón and D. Gómez return. Enciso and Alderete doubts — confirm. Sanabria leads. Cubas and Galarza anchor midfield.
France: Mbappé leads. Olise continues after 5 assists. Barcola expected to start. T. Hernández likely in for Digne. Tchouéméni and Rabiot in midfield.
| Paraguay (4-2-3-1) | France (4-2-3-1) |
| Gill (GK) | Maignan (GK) |
| Cáceres (RB) | Kounde (RB) |
| G. Gómez (CB) | Upamecano (CB) |
| Canale (CB) | Saliba (CB) |
| Alonso (LB) | T. Hernández (LB) |
| Cubas (DM) | Tchouéméni (DM) |
| Galarza (DM) | Rabiot (DM) |
| Almirón (RM) | Dembélé (RW) |
| D. Gómez (AM) | Olise (AM) |
| Enciso (LM) | Barcola (LW) |
| Sanabria (ST) | Mbappé (ST) |
Key stats
- Paraguay: beat Germany on penalties (1-1 AET) in R32 — one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
- Paraguay: first time in the R16 since South Africa 2010.
- Julio Enciso: scored vs Germany. Status for this match doubtful after being forced off.
- Miguel Almirón: returns from suspension. Paraguay’s most creative midfield player.
- Omar Alderete: missed Germany match. Status doubtful for this fixture.
- France: 13 goals in 4 matches — highest of any team remaining. First to score 3+ in 5 consecutive WC matches.
- Kylian Mbappé: brace vs Sweden. Draws level with Messi in golden boot race.
- Mbappé: seventh time scoring 2+ goals in a World Cup match — a World Cup record.
- Michael Olise: 5 tournament assists. Outstanding throughout.
- Bradley Barcola: goal vs Sweden. Expected to start over Doué.
- France: won 15 of last 18 World Cup matches. Won 17 of last 20 WC knockout matches.
- France: 149 all-time WC goals — one from becoming the fourth nation to reach 150.
- H2H: France W2 Paraguay W0 at World Cup — 7-3 (1958 group), 1-0 (1998 R16, Blanc golden goal).
Head-to-head
France have won both previous World Cup meetings. In the 1958 group stage, France prevailed 7-3 in a remarkable high-scoring match. In the 1998 Round of 16 — the tournament France went on to win — Laurent Blanc’s golden goal sealed a 1-0 extra-time win. Notably, current coach Didier Deschamps played in that 1998 France team.
| Date | Result |
| 22 June 1958 | France 7–3 Paraguay (1958 World Cup group stage) |
| 28 June 1998 | France 1–0 Paraguay (1998 World Cup R16, Blanc golden goal AET) |
Current form
| Team | Last 5 (inc. WC) |
| Paraguay | D W L W W(pens) — beat Germany on penalties; giant-killing run |
| France | W W W W W — 13 goals in 4 WC matches |
Our prediction
Paraguay’s tournament has been built on defensive discipline and moments of individual quality from Enciso and Almirón. They will sit deep, stay compact, and look to absorb pressure before hitting France on the counter. It is a structure that frustrated Germany for 120 minutes.
But France possess arguably the most devastating attack left in this tournament. Mbappé’s pace, Olise’s creativity, Barcola’s directness, and Dembélé’s movement give Deschamps’ side the ability to break down the most organised defences. France have done it in every match so far. Their movement, creativity and clinical finishing should eventually unlock Paraguay’s resilience.
Our prediction: France to win.
Odds and markets
Odds correct at 1200Hrs UTC on Sunday,5th July 2026.
How to bet on SportPesa
- Open the Paraguay vs France event page on SportPesa (link above).
- Choose your market — Single Bet (SB), Multi-Bet (MB), or Live Bet (LB) once the match starts.
- Enter your stake and place your bet.
Frequently asked questions
What time does Paraguay vs France kick off?
Kick-off is at 11:00 SAST (Sunday, 5 July 2026) on Sunday, 5 July 2026, at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
How did Paraguay beat Germany?
Paraguay drew 1-1 with Germany after 90 minutes, with Julio Enciso scoring the opener before Kai Havertz equalised. The match went to extra time and then penalties, where Paraguay prevailed to produce one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
How many goals has France scored at World Cup 2026?
France have scored 13 goals in four matches at this World Cup, the highest tally of any team remaining in the competition. They are the first team in World Cup history to score three or more goals in five consecutive World Cup matches.
Is Julio Enciso playing for Paraguay?
Enciso is a doubt after being forced off during the penalty shootout victory over Germany. Confirm his fitness in the official team announcement before kick-off.
Have Paraguay and France met at the World Cup before?
Yes, twice. France won 7-3 in the 1958 World Cup group stage, and 1-0 in the 1998 Round of 16 via Laurent Blanc’s golden goal in extra time. France coach Didier Deschamps played in that 1998 match before France went on to win the tournament.
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