Paraguay XI vs USA – Predicted lineup and team news

In partnership with

The Football Faithful

·12 juin 2026

Paraguay XI vs USA – Predicted lineup and team news

Paraguay makes its long-awaited return to the World Cup stage on Saturday morning against co-hosts the United States.

La Albirroja are competing in their ninth global finals after a lengthy 16-year absence. Manager Gustavo Alfaro has built a pragmatic squad that prioritises defensive solidity and structural compactness.

Vidéos OneFootball

The South Americans enter the tournament as underdogs, sitting 24 places below the USA in the rankings. They will look to exploit set-pieces and cede possession to frustrate the home crowd. Spoiling the American opening party would put them in an excellent position to progress.

Paraguay team news

Alfaro will rely on a settled and stubborn defensive unit to neutralise the American attackers. Captain Gustavo Gomez will partner Omar Alderete in a solid back four. Alderete aims to redeem himself after receiving a red card against the Americans last November.

Meanwhile, key playmaker Julio Enciso remains a major fitness doubt due to a quadriceps problem. The young star sustained the injury during their recent 4-0 friendly victory against Nicaragua.

If he cannot start, Miguel Almiron and Diego Gomez will shoulder the creative burden. They will look to transition quickly into wide areas during counterattacks. Damian Bobadilla faces a late fitness check but expects to anchor the midfield alongside Andres Cubas.

Tonny Sanabria will lead the line as the lone striker. Sanabria represents their greatest offensive threat after scoring four goals during their gruelling qualification campaign.

Paraguay predicted lineup

Paraguay predicted XI: Gill; Caceres, G. Gomez, Alderete, Alonso; Bobadilla, Cubas; D. Gomez, Enciso, Almiron; Sanabria.

When will the match kick off?

The FIFA World Cup group match at SoFi Stadium kicks off at 2:00 BST on Saturday, 13 June 2026.

How to watch USA vs Paraguay?

The opening Group D fixture will be broadcast live across the United Kingdom on BBC One. Football fans can also stream the action online via the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.