France booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals with a narrow but professional 1-0 win over Paraguay in a tightly fought Round of 16 encounter in Philadelphia.
Paraguay, competing in the knockout rounds against one of the pre-tournament favorites, put in a disciplined defensive display and made life difficult for Les Bleus for long stretches of the match. But France’s quality ultimately proved decisive, as they found the single goal needed to separate the two sides and progress.
The win keeps alive France’s hopes of going deep into the tournament once again, with Kylian Mbappe and company continuing to be among the goals throughout the competition. Mbappe sits among the tournament’s leading scorers heading into the quarter-finals, level with Erling Haaland on seven goals apiece.
Paraguay can hold their heads high after a spirited run to the last 16, giving one of the world’s traditional powers all they could handle before bowing out.
France’s reward is a heavyweight quarter-final clash with Morocco on July 9 in Boston, a repeat of their unforgettable 2022 World Cup semi-final, with a place in the final four once again on the line.