Paraguay vs Australia 
The pick
Win, draw, and loss probabilities and expected goals are from our team-strength model.
Head to head
Expected shapes: Paraguay 4-4-2, Australia 3-4-2-1.
Ruled out: AUS — Riley McGree
Paraguay Paraguay AustraliaKey players to watch
Paraguay Paraguay Paraguay AustraliaProjected XIs
Most-likely starting elevens based on recent selections.
Paraguay- 1O Gill
- 2J Cáceres
- 3G Gómez
- 4O Alderete
- 5J Alonso
- 6D Gómez
- 7D Bobadilla
- 8B Ojeda
- 9M Almirón
- 10G Ávalos
- 11J Enciso
Australia- 1P Izzo
- 2L Miller
- 3K Trewin
- 4M Degenek
- 5C Burgess
- 6K Rowles
- 7C Metcalfe
- 8J Irvine
- 9A O'Neill
- 10R McGree
- 11M Touré
Storylines
Paraguay vs Australia Prediction, Analysis, Odds | WC 2026
The Group D final-matchday clash at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara is expected to be a tight, low-scoring affair that could decide both teams' fate. Both Gustavo Alfaro's Paraguay and Tony Popovic's Australia lean on defensive structure, making margins razor-thin.
World Cup 2026: Group D Predictions and Preview
Paraguay's hopes rest on turning small margins their way; they had the lowest goal difference (+4) and possession (37.3%) of CONMEBOL qualifiers but hit the woodwork most (10 times). Australia, the group's most experienced side and its outsider, will likely lean on set-piece expertise.
Player ratings are EA Sports FC 26 attributes, used here as a consistent, public proxy for player quality. Squad-level comparisons cover the players we could rate; coverage varies by team.