Paraguay XI vs USA - Predicted lineup & team news for FIFA World Cup 2026 clash
La Albirroja return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010.
Paraguay kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against Group D hosts USA at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, hoping to make a positive start on their return to football’s biggest stage.
Paraguay have only won one of their eight World Cup openers thus far, and they have lost both of their prior encounters with host countries.
Apart from history, La Albirroja, who placed sixth in CONMEBOL qualifying, are simply happy to be making their eighth appearance at the grandest show in the beautiful game.
Few people anticipate the South American team to go far, so they are not burdened by the weight of expectations. They are a pragmatic team, happy to give up possession and prioritise set pieces.
They have displayed exceptional performances during the qualifiers, and it is too soon to write them off, as they will be motivated to make some surprises in the tournament.
Now that they are in their first World Cup finals since 2010, where they achieved a national record by making it to the quarterfinals, Paraguay will want to take advantage of their lowly standing and would want to spoil the host nation’s party in the opening group match.
Paraguay team news vs USA
Defence was the cornerstone of Paraguay’s qualifying campaign. Both Gustavo Gomez and Sunderland centre-back Omar Alderete, who was benched against the United States in November, are expected to start in a strong back four.
Despite suffering a slight quadriceps injury against Nicaragua, key creator Julio Enciso is still anticipated to play an important role.
The forward from Strasbourg is probably going to join Diego Gomez and Miguel Almiron in supporting the lone striker, Tonny Sanabria, who scored four goals to lead La Albirroja in CONMEBOL qualifying.
Also Read: USA XI vs Paraguay – Predicted lineup & team news for FIFA World Cup 2026 clash
Paraguay’s predicted lineup vs USA
Paraguay’s predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Gill; Caceres, G. Gomez, Alderete, Alonso; Bobadilla, Cubas; D. Gomez, Enciso, Almiron; Sanabria
When was the last time Paraguay faced the USA?
They met on November 15.
Who won that game?The
USA won the match 2-1.
When was the last time they played in the World Cup?
In 2010, they reached the quarterfinals.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.