France and Paraguay face in a crucial Round Of 16 encounter, the winner of which will either be facing Canada or Morocco in the Quarter Finals.
Paraguay have never won against France in their previous 5 meetings.
The match will be held on July 05, 2:30 am (IST) at the Philadelphia Stadium, USA.
France head into the Round of 16 as one of the strongest teams left in the tournament after cruising through the group stage unbeaten. Didier Deschamps' side has been clinical at both ends of the pitch, combining an explosive attack with a rock-solid defence.
Standing in their way is Paraguay, one of the surprise packages of the World Cup, which stunned four-time champions Germany in the previous round to book a blockbuster meeting with Les Bleus.
While France will start as overwhelming favourites, Paraguay have already shown they thrive under pressure. Their disciplined defending, fearless attitude and ability to grind out results make them dangerous opponents in knockout football.
With Kylian Mbappé leading the Golden Boot race and Paraguay riding the confidence of one of the tournament's biggest upsets, the stage is set for a fascinating battle with a place in the quarterfinals on the line.
France's Journey To The Round of 16
France have looked every bit like title contenders throughout the tournament. Les Bleus stormed through the group stage unbeaten, scoring 13 goals while conceding just two, before sealing qualification for the knockout rounds with a commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden.
Kylian Mbappé has once again been the driving force in attack, supported by Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola while Dayot Upamecano has marshalled a defence that has rarely looked troubled.
Paraguay's Journey To The Round of 16
Paraguay recovered brilliantly from a slow start in the group stage to secure qualification before producing one of the biggest shocks of the World Cup. Gustavo Alfaro's men eliminated Germany in the Round of 32, holding the four-time champions to a 1-1 draw before prevailing 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Goalkeeper Orlando Gill emerged as the hero with a series of crucial saves, while Julio Enciso's goal and Paraguay's resilience under pressure ensured their historic passage into the last 16.
France Vs Paraguay - Head-To-Head
France and Paraguay have faced each other 5 times, with France winning 3 and 2 matches ending in draws .
Paraguay has never beaten France .
France has dominated the head-to-head goal difference, scoring 14 goals to Paraguay's 4.
France Vs Paraguay, FIFA World Cup 2026: Match Prediction
Experts predict an overwhelming and comfortable victory for France over Paraguay with a 3-0 or 3-1 score line.
Their relentless attacking power will overpower Paraguay's defense with Kylian Mbappe predicted to be the main man for his team.
France Vs Paraguay, FIFA World Cup 2026: Match Details
Location: Philadelphia, USA
Stadium: Philadelphia Stadium
Date: Sunday, 05 July
Kick-off Time: 05/07/2026 – 02:30 AM (IST)
France Vs Paraguay, FIFA World Cup 2026: LIVE Streaming & Telecast Details
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be telecast live on Unite8 Sports network on television. For live streaming, one can catch the action on the Zee5 app and website.
France Vs Paraguay, FIFA World Cup 2026: Likely Starting XIs
France Predicted XIs:
Maignan (GK), Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, T. Hernandez, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Olise, Dembele, Barcola, Mbappe
Paraguay Predicted XIs:
Gill (GK), Caceres, Alonso, Canale, Gomez, Almiron, Cubas, Bobadilla, Galarza, Enciso, Avalos
