In which city and stadium are Paraguay vs France playing today at the 2026 World Cup?

Paraguay and France meet today in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 at Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, with a place in the quarterfinals at stake.

The stadium has an official capacity of 65,827 spectators, and a strong turnout is expected for a high-profile Round of 16 encounter between two teams with contrasting recent knockout histories but strong tournament momentum.

With Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev designated for today’s match, Paraguay arrive after pulling off a major upset against four-time champions Germany in the Round of 32. A Julio Enciso first-half goal and a strong penalty shootout performance from goalkeeper Orlando Gill helped La Albirroja secure their first knockout-stage win since South Africa 2010.

France, however, enter the match in strong form after dominant performances throughout the tournament. Les Bleus defeated Sweden 3-0 in the Round of 32, with Kylian Mbappe already scoring six goals, Ousmane Dembélé adding four, and Michael Olise registering five assists.

Miguel Almiron of Paraguay speaks to his players. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Historical context between Paraguay and France at the World Cup

Paraguay and France have met twice before on the World Cup stage. Their first encounter came in Sweden 1958, when Just Fontaine scored a hat-trick in a 7-3 victory for France during Group 2 play.

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Forty years later, the teams met again at France 1998 in the Round of 16, where Les Bleus advanced in extra time thanks to a golden goal from Laurent Blanc in the 114th minute after a standout performance from Paraguayan goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert.