2026 World Cup: France – Paraguay head-to-head history

04.07.26 FT World Cup

Paraguay

0

:

France

1

By defeating Sweden 3-0, the French national team secured a spot against Paraguay in the round of 16 of the World Cup. The match is scheduled for Saturday, July 4, 2026, at 9pm GMT.

Before this high-stakes clash at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Les Bleus and La Albirroja have crossed paths five times before. The historical record favors the French, who have never lost to their upcoming opponents (3 wins, 2 draws).

World Cup 2026: The official and complete group stage schedule

The first encounter between the two sides dates back to the group stage of the 1958 World Cup, when France cruised to a resounding 7-3 victory.

Forty years later, Didier Deschamps' teammates—now the manager, but a player on that day—knocked Paraguay out in the round of 16 thanks to a golden goal by Laurent Blanc (113’), sealing a 1-0 win.

Since then, the teams have only met in friendlies: two draws, 0-0 in 2008 and 1-1 in 2014, and another dominant French victory, 5-0, in 2017.

It's worth noting that Paraguay finished third in Group D behind the United States and Australia before pulling off a stunning upset by eliminating Germany in the round of 32 on penalties (1-1, 4-3 on pens).

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

Related teams and leagues

Paraguay

France

World Cup