Türkiye Clash With Paraguay in High-Stakes World Cup Showdown: Key Predictions, Lineups, and What to Expect

Having both tasted defeat in their opening World Cup fixtures, Türkiye and Paraguay will be hungry for three points when they face off on Friday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

Türkiye entered the 2026 World Cup as the frontrunners to top Group D, which also features the U.S. men's national team and Australia. However, the European side, returning to the world stage after a 24-year absence, stumbled to a surprising 2–0 loss against the Socceroos on Sunday.

Paraguay endured an even harsher opening, conceding four in a 4–1 defeat to the USMNT. Head coach Gustavo Alfaro described the result as a "very painful lesson" for a nation that had waited 16 years to return to soccer's biggest tournament.

Sitting on zero points, neither Türkiye nor Paraguay can afford any more slip-ups. Both teams are well aware that a second consecutive loss would make an early elimination almost inevitable, cranking up the stakes ahead of their California showdown.

Türkiye vs. Paraguay Score Prediction

Türkiye Bounce Back With Comfortable Win

Türkiye will not dwell on the errors from last week. Despite the disappointing outcome, Vincenzo Montella's side controlled the ball and registered 30 attempts against Australia, simply lacking the clinical edge when it counted most.

It's difficult to envision a repeat performance against a side that just shipped four goals, particularly given that Türkiye had found the net in each of their last eight matches prior to their World Cup opener. A single moment of brilliance from Arda Güler could be all it takes to unlock the game.

Paraguay will have also drawn lessons from their struggles against the USMNT, but the gap in individual quality between the two squads will likely prove decisive when the final whistle blows.

Prediction: Türkiye 2–0 Paraguay

Türkiye Predicted Lineup vs. Paraguay

Türkiye was compelled to begin their 2026 World Cup campaign without Juventus midfielder Kenan Yıldız in the starting eleven. The 21-year-old was still recovering from a calf injury last week and only came on as a substitute.

The encouraging news is that Yıldız played 45 minutes and appeared to be approaching full fitness. He could earn a starting berth on Friday, coming in for Barış Alper Yılmaz to inject some much-needed energy in the attacking third.

Another attacking reshuffle could see Deniz Gül come into the fold. The 21-year-old was passed over last time in favor of the more experienced Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who managed just two of his side's 30 shots against Australia in a largely forgettable display.

Türkiye predicted lineup vs. Paraguay (4-2-3-1): Çakir; Çelik, Demiral, Bardakcı, Kadıoğlu; Yüksek, Çalhanoğlu; Güler, Kökçü, Yildiz; Gül.

Paraguay Predicted Lineup vs. Türkiye

Alfaro is likely to be without Gustavo Caballero for a second straight match. The winger has been sidelined with a muscular problem that ruled him out against the USMNT, and he has not yet returned to full fitness.

Ramón Sosa is also anticipated to miss Friday's encounter. The 26-year-old picked up an ankle complaint following a brief substitute appearance against the Stars and Stripes.

Júnior Alonso completed the full 90 minutes last time out but put in a difficult performance, potentially opening the door for Alexandro Maidana to step in at left back and make his World Cup bow. Mauricio will also be pushing for a starting role against Türkiye, though he may once again be limited to a substitute appearance despite netting Paraguay's consolation goal in their opening loss.

Paraguay predicted lineup vs. Türkiye (4-4-2): Gill; Cáceres, G. Gómez, Alderete, Maidana; D. Gómez, Cubas, Bobadilla, Almirón; Enciso, Sanabria.

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Amanda Langell is a Sports Illustrated FC freelance writer and editor. Born and raised in New York City, her first loves were the Yankees, the Rangers and Broadway before Real Madrid took over her life. Had it not been for her brother's obsession with Cristiano Ronaldo, she would have never lived through so many magical Champions League nights 3,600 miles away from the Bernabéu. When she's not consumed by Spanish and European soccer, she's traveling, reading or losing her voice at a concert.