World Cup: Germany to face Paraguay in the Round of 32

The Group H ending confirmed Paraguay are through as one of the best third-placed teams as they will now face Germany in the Round of 32.

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Germany will play against Paraguay in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup. La Albirroja are officially through to the knockout stages after the final games in Group H confirmed they will finish in the top eight of the third-placed rankings.

Paraguay became the fourth team to benefit from the new format as Sweden, Ecuador, and Bosnia and Herzegovina already booked their places. Gustavo Alfaro’s side finished with four points after their goalless draw with Australia to end Group D.

Germany were confirmed as Group E winners before their final game. The defeat to Ecuador didn’t change matters for Julian Nagelsmann’s side. However, this tie against another CONMEBOL side will be very different.

Paraguay kept clean sheets against Türkiye and Australia after losing 4-1 to co-hosts the United States in their opening fixture. The two national teams met in the Round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup, as Oliver Neuville’s late strike sent Germany on their way to the final.

The last meeting between them ended in a 3-3 draw with the five goals recorded in the first-half of a friendly staged at Fritz-Walter-Stadion a year before the 2014 World Cup. If Germany progress to the Round of 16, they will face either France or Sweden.