Germany vs Paraguay Tips, Odds & Prediction for World Cup 2026

* Odds supplied by Betway and accurate when this preview was written.

Germany face Paraguay at Boston Stadium in Foxborough on Monday in a 2026 World Cup Round of 32 match that kicks off at 22:30 CAT. Julian Nagelsmann's team won Group E and go in as big favourites, while Gustavo Alfaro's Paraguay made the last 32 in their first World Cup for sixteen years. Every one of our World Cup betting tips sits in its own dedicated section.

Germany

Germany won Group E after taking maximum points from their first two matches, before a heavily rotated team lost to Ecuador in a game that meant nothing, so I expect Nagelsmann to bring back his best eleven for this knockout tie. I think Musiala, Wirtz and Sane offer a level of quality in attack that Paraguay never came up against in their group. My only worry is the defence, as Nico Schlotterbeck has been ruled out of the tournament with ankle ligament damage and the back line looked exposed against Ecuador. Even so, I see Germany keeping the ball and pinning Paraguay back right from kickoff.

Expected Lineup: Neuer; Kimmich, Tah, Rudiger; Nmecha, Musiala, Pavlovic, Brown; Sane, Havertz, Wirtz.

Paraguay

Paraguay made the knockouts for the first time since 2010 by grinding out results, beating Turkey with a goal in the first minute and then holding Australia to a goalless draw to finish third in Group D. As I see it, Alfaro has created a disciplined team that sits deep and defends in numbers, with skipper Gustavo Gomez leading a defence that kept clean sheets in both of its last two group matches. Miguel Almiron is back after a one-match ban, and he, Julio Enciso and Matias Galarza are Paraguay's main outlets on the counter. I think Paraguay will defend deep and try to frustrate Germany, but they created very little in the group and I find it hard to see where a goal would come from.

Expected Lineup: Gill; Caceres, Velasquez,  G. Gomez, Alderete, Maidana; Almiron, Cubas, Galarza, Enciso; Avalos.

Germany are far stronger in every area, and I think they will find a way through Paraguay before the hour once the legs in that low block start to go. Paraguay may hang in for a while, but I do not think they have enough going forward to beat Neuer and the German back line in ninety minutes. My forecast: Germany 2 Paraguay 0.

BTTS: No (1.77)

My pick is BTTS: No, because I do not think Paraguay have the quality in attack to break Germany down even if they fall behind. They scored just two goals in the whole group stage and will be set up to stop goals here rather than make them. With Germany likely to have the ball and Paraguay defending deep, I expect one side to keep a clean sheet.