2026 World Cup Qualifiers

Asunción, Jun 5 (RHC) Today, Paraguay and Uruguay will face each other at the Defensores del Chaco stadium in this capital city, in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

The Paraguayan team's technical director, Gustavo Alfaro, knows that he is facing a difficult match against an opponent that captain Gustavo Gómez acknowledged had grit, determination, and intensity.

Both teams have 21 points with four games to go, as do Brazil, but Uruguay is third on goal difference, while Paraguay is fifth.

Uruguay will be without midfielders Federico Valverde (injured) and Rodrigo Betancur, the latter suspended, as well as attacker Darwin Núñez.

The qualification process grants six places, of which Argentina already has the first one. The seventh place has the possibility of an international playoff.

Paraguay and Uruguay played to a goalless draw in Montevideo last September, in what was Alfaro's debut in the albirroja (Another way of naming the Paraguayan national team, based on the colors of its uniform).

Since then, the coach has remained undefeated, including victories over Argentina and Brazil that broke his team's losing streak.