Türkiye versus Paraguay
- Kick-off:
- Stadium: Levi's Stadium · San Francisco Bay Area, United States
Türkiye
Türkiye return to football's biggest stage for the first time since 2002 — that legendary semi-final run powered by Şükür, Şaş and Davala. The 24-year wait ends with a generation as exciting as any in Turkish history. Vincenzo Montella, who steered Türkiye to a remarkable Euro 2024 quarter-final, remains in charge. Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Inter) is the conductor; teenager Arda Güler (Real Madrid) is already a Bernabéu starter; Kenan Yıldız (Juventus) gives the attack a second creative pole; Mert Müldür anchors at right-back. Group D with the United States, Paraguay and Australia offers a realistic top-two finish. The dream is a knockout-round upset against a top seed — and this Türkiye has the talent to execute.
Paraguay
Paraguay return to the tournament for the first time since 2010 — that famous quarter-final run ended only by Spain on a Villa goal. Gustavo Alfaro, the experienced Argentine, took charge in 2024 and immediately stabilised qualification. Miguel Almirón provides creativity from the wing; centre-back Gustavo Gómez (Palmeiras) is the captain and tactical leader; Antonio Sanabria leads the line. La Albirroja's identity has always been compactness and counter-attack — qualities that will serve them well in Group D against the United States, Australia and Türkiye. Knockout-round qualification is a realistic target; Paraguay's defensive structure could see them play spoiler against the host nation in the group decider.
Levi's Stadium
Levi's Stadium hosts six matches in 2026, including round-of-32 fixtures, anchoring the tournament in Northern California. Located in Santa Clara, in the heart of Silicon Valley between San Francisco and San Jose, the venue opened in 2014 and is the home of the San Francisco 49ers NFL franchise. Capacity for football is approximately 68,500. The pitch was reconverted from artificial turf to natural grass for the tournament. Climate: Bay Area summer is dry and pleasantly warm (22-28°C), with cool evening fog patterns making evening kickoffs particularly comfortable. The stadium is open-air with no roof. The Bay Area's tech-driven affluence and large East Asian population (Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese communities) make Levi's a strategic location for AFC supporter contingents and a corporate-hospitality magnet.