Paraguay to compete in UEFA-linked tournament after World Cup qualification

Paraguay is already qualified for the 2030 World Cup as a host nation, a significant advantage that APF President Robert Harrison says will not lead to complacency. The national team will not treat upcoming official matches as mere trials, despite the lack of pressure to secure a spot.

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We are already qualified for the 2030 World Cup along with Uruguay and Argentina.

Instead, Harrison revealed plans for a strategic alliance with UEFA. The APF is in advanced discussions to merge the South American calendar with European competitions, creating a tournament akin to a Nations League. Teams will compete for European slots, Europa 1, Europa 2, or Europa 3, based on their final standings in the South American qualifiers. This structure is projected to generate substantial revenue from matches, likely to be held in Europe.

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So, the qualifiers that are going to be played, will be played apart from the three and a half pending spots; it is being projected a tournament with UEFA, a kind of Nations League exactly, to be able to compete against them and, based on what position you finish, you will be in Europe 1, Europe 2 or Europe 3.

Harrison firmly rejected the idea of using the qualification period for experimentation with young players. He stressed that the team will aim to finish qualifiers in the best possible way, indicating that performance will remain a key focus. This approach underscores a commitment to competitive integrity even with a guaranteed World Cup berth.

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I think you are not going to be playing with that variable of whether they arrive or not because you will also want to finish the qualifying round in the best way.