Turkey vs. Paraguay prediction, betting tips & preview – World Cup 2026

After both making losing starts to the 2026 World Cup, Turkey and Paraguay will go head-to-head at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Saturday morning in their second Group D game, hoping to record their first set of points in the tournament.

The Crescent Stars suffered a frustrating 2-0 defeat despite dominating large spells against Australia, while Paraguay were comprehensively beaten 4-1 by the United States. Another loss here would leave either side facing a difficult route to the knockout stages.

Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.

Turkey vs. Paraguay key stats

• Turkey recorded 30 shots in their defeat to Australia, with seven on target
• Paraguay have lost half of their 14 meetings against UEFA nations at World Cups (W2, D5, L7)
• Nine of Paraguay's last 10 World Cup matches have featured under 2.5 goals
• Arda Guler took seven shots in Turkey's loss to Australia

Turkey vs. Paraguay preview: Two teams looking to save their tournament

Turkey arrived at the World Cup carrying considerable momentum after an excellent qualification campaign and a strong run of results throughout 2025 and early 2026.

However, Vincenzo Montella's men were left stunned on matchday one as they fell 2-0 to Australia despite producing wave after wave of attacks, with the number of shots they took in that contest (30) highlighting just how unusual the defeat was.

Coach Montella remained confident after the game, insisting his side still have time to recover and fight for qualification, though the defeat ended an unbeaten spell that started last September.

Turkey have generally responded well to setbacks in recent years and have not suffered consecutive losses since March 2024, and with creative talents such as Arda Guler, Hakan Calhanoglu and Kerem Akturkoglu capable of unlocking defences, they will expect to generate chances once again.

Paraguay's return to the World Cup after a 16-year absence could hardly have started in more painful fashion, with Gustavo Alfaro's side thoroughly outplayed in a 4-1 loss to hosts USA, conceding three goals before half-time and exposing weaknesses that had rarely been visible during qualification.

Alfaro described the defeat as a harsh lesson, noting that his side has several key details to address. Historically, Paraguay have been difficult opponents in World Cup group stages thanks to their defensive discipline, but they now enter this fixture knowing that another defeat would leave their hopes hanging by a thread.

However, La Albirroja have usually struggled against UEFA nations at the World Cup, losing half of their 14 such games in this competition's history.

Turkey vs. Paraguay form guide & betting tips

Whispers predicts: Turkey 1-0 Paraguay

Turkey remain favourites with most bookmakers at around 1/1 (2.00), and their attacking dominance despite defeat on matchday one suggests they are well placed to claim a vital victory, making this a value pick.

Nine of Paraguay's last 10 World Cup matches have produced fewer than three goals, and the pressure attached to this fixture should encourage a cautious approach from both teams, which is why under 2.5 goals at 33/50 holds some value.