Paraguay marks one year since qualifying for the 2026 World Cup

Paraguay’s return to the World Cup began with a 0-0 draw, but the night still became one of the most celebrated moments in the country’s recent football history. A year later, the Paraguayan Football Association returned to Sept. 4 to commemorate the qualification sealed at Asunción’s Defensores del Chaco stadium.

The official national-team account described the anniversary as the moment when the long-awaited return became reality. The match against Ecuador confirmed Paraguay’s place at the 2026 World Cup and brought supporters together under one flag in what the association called an unforgettable day.

The achievement came under Gustavo Alfaro, who guided the Albirroja through a campaign that finished with six victories, five draws and only one defeat. The record included a final-round win over Peru, secured after Paraguay had already booked its World Cup place.

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A year ago, the long-awaited return became a reality.

The anniversary gallery also carried a detail that drew institutional attention. Among the images selected by the association was a photograph of Robert Harrison, its president, embracing Alfaro. The coach’s appearance in the commemorative material has added weight to speculation about the next stage of the project.

The association is approaching decisions on Alfaro’s contract as Paraguay prepares its longer-term plans for the 2030 World Cup, when the team will be a co-host. His continuity remains at the center of attention for Paraguayan fans.

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An unforgettable day that, one year later, we continue to remember with the same emotion and pride at having made the dream of an entire country come true.