Paraguay and Nicaragua meet this Friday at Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción in an international friendly as both countries continue their preparations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While the Paraguayans secured qualification through the CONMEBOL qualifiers, the Nicaraguans fell short in the Concacaf qualification process and will use the match as an opportunity to test themselves against World Cup opposition.
The Paraguayans, led by Gustavo Alfaro, booked their return to the World Cup for the first time since South Africa 2010 after finishing sixth in the South American standings. Key players such as Julio Enciso, Miguel Almirón, and Diego Gómez are expected to play important roles as Paraguay fine-tunes its squad before traveling to North America.
The Nicaraguans arrive after a scoreless draw against South Africa and will look to build confidence against one of South America’s most competitive teams. Jonathan Moncada, Jasson Coronel, and Oliver Orozco headline a squad aiming to produce a strong performance. Paraguay won the most recent meeting between the countries 2-0 in June 2023, with goals from Miguel Almiron and Fabian Balbuena.
