Paraguay arrive at the 2026 World Cup ranked 33rd in Sportsvyn's Power Rankings with a score of 4.83, carrying a 26-man squad built around a nine-midfielder pool that outnumbers their six attackers. F. Balbuena anchors an eight-defender block, while M. Almirón represents the squad's most recognizable name in that crowded midfield. The Group D draw places them in an away opener, and the midfield-heavy roster construction raises an immediate question: whether six attackers are sufficient to sustain offensive output across three group matches.

Paraguay's group-stage opener falls on June 12 against USA at SoFi Stadium — a side ranked 21st in Sportsvyn's Power Rankings, twelve places and 1.35 points above them. The match begins to answer whether Paraguay's nine-midfielder roster can generate enough final-third presence against a higher-ranked opponent on the road. M. Almirón and the six-attacker pool carry the creative burden in that shape. Can the midfield-heavy structure produce the attacking volume Group D demands, or does the roster imbalance become a ceiling in the opening test?