Germany vs Paraguay live online: updates, score, goals and highlights | 2026 World Cup round of 32

The inaugural Rd of 32 

For the first time ever the world is witnessing a round of 32 in the World Cup. This is the biggest World Cup ever in terms of teams, games and venues. The 48 teams in the tournament have been narrowed down to 32, with eight third placed teams making it into the knockout rounds. That led to a dramatic end of the group stages with many teams holding on to hope until the very last second of Algeria´s 3-3 draw with Austria. Now we have an extra round of games, which will be packed with drama with three matches a day over the next five days.

Gabriel Martinelli's stoppage time saw Brazil through in another dramatic Round of 32 match that ended in stoppage time. It's been a wild ride so far. Two matches, two late winners. What else is in store for the rest of the round?

Yesterday's result

It was the only match on yesterday, but it was enough to hold us over after the feast we have enjoyed since this tournament kicked off on June 11th. Co-host nation Canada played South Africa to inaugurate the round of 32, and it was the co-hosts who secured their place in the next round with a stoppage time winner from Stephen Eustaquio. 

Race for the Golden Boot 

The Golden Boot race isn't heating up, it’s red hot. Messi set the tone with a hat trick in Argentina’s first match of the tournament. Since then he has scored three more goals and sits first with 6 overall. Deniz Undav was hanging around the top of the list with three goals and two assists after Germany´s first two matches but has fallen off pace since Vinicius, Mbappe, Dembele and Haaland have caught fire. Here is what the Golden Boot race is looking like heading into the round of 32. 

Almiron back after suspension 

For the first time in history we saw a player sent off after the newly implemented rule that prohibits players from covering their mouths during confrontations during a match. Miguel Almiron was the first to be shown a red card after covering his mouth in the first half of the game against Türkiye. The ref went to the VAR review and ruled that it was a violation of the new rule and showed him a red card. After serving a one match suspension, Almiron is back with Paraguay for today's match. 

FIFA World Rankings 

Taking a look at the newly updated FIFA Rankings we see Germany falling out of the top 10 after their loss to Ecuador. They started the tournament as the 10th ranked team and they come into today ranked 12th behind Belgium in 10th and Colombia in 11th. Argentina are back in 1st after a their win over Jordan. France overtook the top spot for a moment following their win over Norway, but Messi made sure the Albiceleste came into the round of 32 back in first. Spain is third, England is fourth, and Brazil is fifth. 

Paraguay's World Cup history 

Paraguay are back in the World Cup for the first time since 2010 when they their best World Cup in the country’s history. They made it to the quarterfinals, losing to eventual champions, Spain, back in 2010. This is their eighth World Cup since they participated in the first tournament back in 1930. In their previous seven appearances, they have made it to the knockout rounds just three times with trips to the round of 16 in 1986, 1998 and 2002. 

Germany XI 

Undav has made it in the starting XI after a fantastic few cameos off the bench. Nagelsmann knows that this match can get complicated if they leave it for late so he is coming out with one of his stronger sides. Havertz and Undav with Wirtz behind. 

Paraguay XI

Gustavo Alfaro has his starting XI for this World Cup round of 32 encounter. Almiron is back in the XI after serving his suspension but Alderete is out with an injury. It was always going to be tough, but this team should have reason to believe even without one of their top defenders. 

Germany's World Cup history 

The Germans have a long history of success in this tournament and are not far removed from their last World Cup. Their first came in 1954, and they had been quarterfinalists or better in every edition until 2018 when they were knocked out in the group stages. In that span they won it three other times and finished runners up four other times. In 2018 they were shockingly knocked out in the group stages and suffered the same fate in 2022. They spared the embarrassment of an early exit this year, and now set their sights on making a deep run in this edition of the World Cup. 

Star watch: Paraguay 

This Paraguay need to come up with some inspiration in the attacking third. None of their forwards have scored a goal through three games, and with one half of their dominant central defenders injured, that might mean that Paraguay need to take a few more chances up top. Omar Alderete is out, while will leave Gustavo Gomez with plenty of work to do in the back. Up top one of the forwards is going to have to step up and offer some penetrating runs for Julio Enciso who has both assists on the two goals that Paraguay have scored. 

Star watch: Germany 

This Germany side is loaded with stars from top to bottom, but I don't think anybody was going to guess who their most efficient player in the group stages. It hasn’t been Kai Havertz or Leroy Sane. It´s Deniz Undav who has exploded on to the scene as the super sub of the World Cup. In three matches off the bench he has three goals and two assists in less than 90 total minutes played. He did have 19 goals and 6 assists with Stuttgart this season, but he is taking the spotlight for this German side through the first few weeks of the tournament.

Last 8 in to Rd of 32

Four points was enough for Paraguay to get into the round of 32 as one of eight third placed teams, but just barely. Seven of the eight teams that made it through qualified for the knockout rounds with four points. The Congo finished at the top of the list with a +1 goal advantage. The rest of the teams with four points having a goal difference of zero on negative. Paraguay was the last placed team of those with four points with a -2 goal differential, the same as Algeria but the Algerian finished ahead of them with more goals scored. Senegal were the lucky ones, finishing with three points and a goal difference of +2 after their 5-0 win over Iraq. 

How they got here: Paraguay 

Paraguay came into this World Cup knowing they would be one of the most watched teams of the group stages, or at least the most watched team in round 1 of the group stages. They took on the United States and got demolished by Mauricio Pochettino´s side 4-1 in their opener. With their backs against the wall, they held on to a 1-0 win over Türkiye to secure three points, and with a draw against Australia on the final day of the group stage, they secured the three points pushing their total to four which was enough to advance to the next stage of the tournament as one of eight third place teams. 

How they got here: Germany 

After failing to get out of the group stages in the last two editions of the tournament, Germany opened their World Cup campaign with a convincing 7-1 win over debutants, Curacao. Then they had to comeback on Cote d'Ivore with two second half goals to seal the three points and secure their place at the top of Group E. They went into the final match knowing the job was done, but didn’t deliver after an early goal against Ecuador. They still finished first in the group to set up this “easier” of the matches for teams coming out of that group. 

Last game: Paraguay  

It was one of the stinkers of the group stages, but it was enough to push Paraguay through to the next round of the tournament. A game that was mostly played in the middle third of the pitch, with not much in terms of shots and zero goal scoring chances for either side, Paraguay and Australia shared the spoils in a game that was enough to put Australia through and would make Paraguay wait until the end of the group stages to decide their fate. 

Last game: Germany  

Germany had the group solidified heading into their final match of the group stages. That didn't stop them from fielding their top XI against an Ecuador side that was in dire straits. Leroy Sane took needed just two minutes to get on the board and give the Germans an early 1-0 lead, but Ecuador would battle back. In the 9th minute Nilson Angulo leveled the score at 1-1. It wouldn’t be until late in the 2nd half with Ecuador needing three points that Gonzalo Plata would put his side ahead and down Germany in one of the more dramatic finishes of the group stages. 

We are live from New England 

Hello everyone and welcome to Boston where Germany is still flying under the radar in this World Cup. They have landed an awfully tough part of the bracket, but that won't matter if they don’t get through this game today against a heavy underdog in Paraguay. This afternoon the South American side look to shock the world and knock out the Germans who are looking for their fifth World Cup.

Germany vs. Paraguay live   

Day two of the round of 32 continues this afternoon from New England as one of world soccers juggernauts take on a team that barely snuck into this round of the World Cup. It's Germany taking on Paraguay in a battle of David vs. Goliath and AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of this afternoon’s round of 32 showdown.