Two of Group D's early disappointments, Turkey and Paraguay, meet this evening with both sides desperate to salvage their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaigns after heavy opening-round defeats.

Turkey fell to a 2-0 loss against Australia, a result that surprised many who had tipped them as potential dark horses for the tournament. Paraguay's situation is arguably worse — they were beaten 4-1 by hosts United States, a scoreline that raised serious questions about their defensive organisation.

Contrasting reputations, similar reality

Turkey arrived in the tournament with significant backing from pundits and analysts who saw them as capable of a deep run. Their opening performance against Australia, however, told a very different story, as they were outplayed for much of the match.

Paraguay, meanwhile, had built genuine credibility during qualifying, recording victories against Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. Yet that defensive resilience and competitive edge was nowhere to be seen against the United States, where they looked short of the required intensity at this level.

With two group games still remaining, neither side is mathematically eliminated, and a win tonight would restore some hope of reaching the knockout rounds.

What to expect from this match

The bookmakers have installed Turkey as favourites at evens, with a draw available at 9/4 and Paraguay priced at 13/5. Given the circumstances, it is hard to disagree — Turkey carry more individual quality and will need to prove their opening performance was an aberration rather than a true reflection of their level.

That said, Paraguay are not without threat. Should they rediscover the defensive structure that served them so well in qualification, they are more than capable of making this a difficult evening for Turkey. With both teams anxious to avoid a second defeat, a cautious opening period appears likely.

Score prediction: Turkey 2-1 Paraguay.

How to watch

Turkey vs Paraguay in Group D of FIFA World Cup 2026 is available to watch free to air. The match will be broadcast live on BBC in the United Kingdom, FOX in the United States, and SBS in Australia.