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Germany is back in the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time since lifting the trophy in Brazil. That gap, twelve years, is the kind of stretch that turns generational rosters into historical footnotes. Now Julian Nagelsmann’s side gets a chance to rewrite that narrative against Paraguay in the Round of 32 on June 29, 2026, at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Kickoff is scheduled for approximately 4:30 PM ET, and both teams arrive with something to prove, though for very different reasons.
How Germany and Paraguay got here
Germany advanced from Group E as the group winner despite a 2-1 loss to Ecuador in their final group stage match.
Nagelsmann made a notable lineup decision heading into the knockout round. Jamal Musiala was dropped from the starting eleven, with Deniz Undav earning his first World Cup start in Musiala’s place.
Paraguay’s path here was narrower. They qualified for the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams from Group D, with a significant 1-0 victory over Türkiye among their results. In the expanded 2026 World Cup format, third-place finishers from each group can still advance, and Paraguay took full advantage of that structure.
For Paraguay, just making it to the Round of 32 carries weight. They have not won a single World Cup knockout match against a European team, a record they will be looking to change on Sunday.
The history Germany is trying to leave behind
Germany’s 2014 World Cup run included a 7-1 semifinal demolition of host nation Brazil, followed by Mario Gotze’s extra-time winner against Argentina in the final.
What followed was less cinematic. Germany exited the 2018 World Cup in Russia at the group stage. The 2022 tournament in Qatar brought another group stage exit. Back-to-back early eliminations for the team that had just won it all.
What this match means for both sides
Germany enters as the heavy favorite. Four World Cup titles and a storied knockout pedigree point in their direction. Paraguay, meanwhile, is operating as a genuine underdog that has never won a World Cup knockout match against a European team.
Watch Undav’s performance closely. His inclusion over Musiala is the most notable tactical decision heading into Sunday, and how he performs will indicate the direction Nagelsmann wants to take this team.
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