Paraguay will take on France in the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Philadelphia, having produced one of the tournament's most stunning upsets by eliminating four-time world champions Germany in the previous round. The match kicks off at 10:00pm BST / 5:00pm ET.

Paraguay's remarkable run

Few gave Paraguay a realistic chance of progressing from the group stage after they were beaten by the USA and held to a goalless draw by Australia. Yet manager Gustavo Alfaro's side showed extraordinary resilience in their last-32 tie against Germany, grinding through 120 minutes before Jose Canale converted the decisive penalty to spark scenes of pure joy among the players and fans.

The victory, played in Boston, was built on defensive discipline — Germany were restricted to just six shots on target across the full 120 minutes, with Canale and Gustavo Gomez delivering standout defensive performances. Paraguay are under no illusions about the scale of the task ahead, but they will enter this match relishing the underdog tag.

France's fearsome attack

France arrive in Philadelphia as clear favourites and among the most attacking sides in the tournament. Manager Didier Deschamps has assembled a formidable forward line: Kylian Mbappe leads the charge with six goals, while Michael Olise tops the assists chart with five, Ousmane Dembele has contributed four goals and two assists, and Bradley Barcola has added two goals and an assist. Should any of them underperform, Deschamps can turn to Desire Doue or Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram.

Mbappe, who endured a difficult end to the season at Real Madrid, has been at his sharpest in North America and appears driven by the memory of France's final defeat to Argentina four years ago. Les Bleus have scored 13 goals across their four matches — a statistic that will be at the forefront of Alfaro's preparations.

How Paraguay can cause another upset

The blueprint Alfaro may rely on is the same one that proved effective against Germany — a deep, disciplined defensive block combined with a high-intensity press in midfield. If Paraguay can contain France's forwards and spring Julio Enciso and Miguel Almiron in transition, another shock cannot be entirely ruled out.

France, for their part, will need to guard against the counter-attack. La Albirroja carry a genuine threat on the break and will not surrender without a fight.

How to watch Paraguay vs France

Paraguay vs France is available free to stream in several regions: BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, RTÉ Player in Ireland, SBS On Demand in Australia, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, and NOS in the Netherlands, among others. In the US, the match is broadcast on Fox, accessible via Fox One, YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling, Fubo, or DirecTV.

FourFourTwo prediction: Paraguay 0-3 France.