Germany clinched Group E in short order by defeating Curaçao and Ivory Coast. Julian Nagelsmann opted to play the starters against Ecuador and was punished accordingly as the team looked lethargic, uninterested, and disconnected against a hungry South American side that ultimately pulled out a 2-1 victory over the Germans. Germany will have a chance to fix the issue in the Round of 32 against Paraguay.
Paraguay finished in third place of Group D behind the United States and Australia. A win over Türkiye
and a draw against Australia proved sufficient to push Paraguay into the knockout stages, thanks to the new 48-team format that allows 32 teams to advance.
Match Info
Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA
Date: Monday, June 29th, 2026
Time: 4:30pm local time (EST)
TV/streaming: Fox, Telemundo, Find Your Country
Odds: Germany (-280), Draw (+400), Paraguay (+700)
Team Info
Here is the predicted lineup, courtesy of BFW:
Lineup changes
- IN: Nathaniel Brown, Malick Thiaw
- OUT: David Raum, Aleksandar Pavlović
Player status updates
- Nathaniel Brown, adductor (questionable)
- Nico Schlotterbeck, ankle (out)
Three things to know about Germany
- There is increasing noise from Germany legends, like Philipp Lahm and Lothar Matthäus, that Joshua Kimmich needs to move into the central midfield and replace his struggling Bayern teammate Aleksandar Pavlović
- Germany’s only previous competitive match against Paraguay resulted in a 1-0 win in the Round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup
- Germany’s loss to Ecuador was the first of its kind in the World Cup
Three things to know about Paraguay
- Ecuador’s Assist Leader (2026 World Cup): Julio Enciso
- Player to watch: Matías Galarza, midfielder
- Form: LWLWD, 3rd place (Group D)
Prediction
Germany wins 3-1. Manuel Neuer seems unlikely to keep a clean sheet but this match will be all Germany. After a poor showing against Ecuador, Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz will both score in the first half. Germany will let their guard down on a free kick early in the second half but Musiala will quickly strike back for his first brace in a competitive match since December 2024.
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