A place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals is at stake as France meet Paraguay in the Round of 16 at Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field). On paper, it is one of the tournament's biggest mismatches, but Paraguay have already shown they are capable of defying the odds. The winner will book a last-eight clash against either Canada or Morocco.
France have been one of the standout teams of the competition under Didier Deschamps. They remain unbeaten after four consecutive victories, have scored more goals than any other nation (13), and have registered at least three goals in each outing. Their Round of 32 performance was another convincing display as they brushed aside Sweden 3-0.
Paraguay arrive with nothing to lose after producing one of the biggest shocks of the tournament. Gustavo Alfaro's side, ranked 41st in the world, knocked out Germany on penalties after a hard-fought 1-1 draw that went to extra time. Their remarkable run has also made history, as they became the first third-place group-stage qualifier to reach the Round of 16.
Read our Paraguay vs France prediction before staking your money.
Paraguay vs France prediction for the 2026 World Cup
It is do or die. That is exactly why the prediction below zeroes in on the strongest bet for this knockout World Cup tie.
Here is our pick:
2nd Half France Win
Who are the favourites?
Based on the leading UK-licensed bookmakers, France is tipped to come out on top, with 85% of the odds leaning towards their win.
Looking for more? Browse all the World Cup odds and dig into this and other ties from the planet's biggest football tournament.
Paraguay vs France head-to-head record
These two nations have met only a handful of times of late — 1 match(es) in all, which only adds to the unpredictability of this 2026 World Cup tie.
Paraguay: 0 win(s)
France: 1 win(s)
Draws: 0
Paraguay at the 2026 World Cup
Paraguay arrive having already played 4 match(es) at the 2026 World Cup. Here is the record for Paraguay National Team:
At the World Cup:
1 win(s), 2 draw(s) and 1 loss(es)
1.25 point(s) per game on average
3 goals scored at the World Cup (0.75 per game)
5 goals conceded at the World Cup (1.25 per game)
Paraguay National Team in 2026
10 win(s), 9 draw(s) and 6 loss(es) in all competitions
Leading scorer: Antonio Sanabria with 4 goal(s)
Most assists: Diego Gómez with 2
France at the 2026 World Cup
France go into this tie with 4 match(es) already behind them at the 2026 World Cup.
Here is what France National Team have managed so far:
At the World Cup
4 win(s), 0 draw(s) and 0 loss(es)
3 point(s) per game on average
13 goals scored at the World Cup (3.25 per game)
2 goals conceded at the World Cup (0.5 per game)
France National Team in 2026
12 win(s), 1 draw(s) and 1 loss(es) in all competitions
Leading scorer: Kylian Mbappé with 6 goal(s)
Most assists: Michael Olise with 5
Paraguay vs France statistics at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Before you stake anything, look over the side-by-side comparison that sheds light on each nation's current form for this World Cup tie:
Paraguay
International - World Cup
| Form | Last 5 | PPG |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | D D W L W |
1.6 |
| Home | D W D W |
2 |
| Away | D W L L W |
1.4 |
| Stats | Overall | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win % | 25% | 0% | 33% |
| Goals | 2 | 0 | 2.67 |
| Scored | 0.75 | 0 | 1 |
| Conceded | 1.25 | 0 | 1.67 |
| Both Teams to Score | 50% | 0% | 67% |
| Without Conceding | 50% | 100% | 33% |
| Failed To Score | 25% | 100% | 0% |
| 1st to Score | 50% | 0% | 67% |
|
xG
|
0.81 | 0.75 | 0.82 |
|
xGA
|
2.39 | 1.44 | 2.7 |
France
International - World Cup
| Form | Last 5 | PPG |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | W W W W W |
3 |
| Home | W W W W L |
2.4 |
| Away | W W W W D |
2.6 |
| Stats | Overall | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win % | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Goals | 3.75 | 3.33 | 5 |
| Scored | 3.25 | 3 | 4 |
| Conceded | 0.5 | 0.33 | 1 |
| Both Teams to Score | 50% | 33% | 100% |
| Without Conceding | 50% | 67% | 0% |
| Failed To Score | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 1st to Score | 50% | 100% | 100% |
|
xG
|
2.21 | 2.21 | 2.22 |
|
xGA
|
0.84 | 0.72 | 1.2 |
Paraguay vs France probable lineups
See the likely starting elevens below for our Paraguay vs France prediction at the 2026 World Cup.
France Expected Lineup: Mike Maignan, Jules Koundé, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernández, Manu Koné, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, Kylian Mbappé.
Paraguay Expected Lineup: Orlando Gill, Juan Cáceres, Gustavo Gómez, Junior Alonso, Juan Canale, Andrés Cubas, Matías Galarza, Miguel Almirón, Diego Bobadilla, Julio Enciso, Gabriel Ávalos.
The confirmed lineups will be available close to the kickoff time.
How to watch Paraguay vs France live in the UK
Find out below where you can catch Paraguay vs France live during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Just remember, kick-off is at 22:00 UK time.
For the full schedule, check our our World Cup live streaming page.
More betting tips for this match
Alongside the main tip given at the top of this article, here are some other strong bets for Paraguay vs France:
Further 2026 World Cup predictions
Browse all of our 2026 FIFA World Cup predictions and keep up with the sharpest analysis from start to finish of the tournament.
Match details: Paraguay vs France
🆚 Fixture: Paraguay vs France
🏆 Tournament: 2026 FIFA World Cup
📅 Date: Saturday, 04/07/2026
🕐 Kick-off: 22:00 UK time
🏟️ Venue: Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field)
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Sports betting analyst with over ten years of experience in football analysis, match statistics and betting markets.