Paraguay stuns Germany in penalties to reach World Cup last 16

Paraguay’s supporters turned Foxborough into a red-and-white outpost as the Selección de Paraguay beat Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw across 120 minutes, sending the South Americans into the World Cup last 16 for the first time since 2010. The victory on June 29, 2026, was the tournament’s biggest shock so far and gave Paraguayans a result their diaspora had been building toward since the group stage.

The scale of the celebration reflected how widely Paraguay’s run had already spread beyond one stadium. In Boston, fans had packed the FIFA Fan Festival on June 12 for Paraguay’s debut against the United States, filling giant screens with the same colors that later surged through Foxborough. In a World Cup stretched across Canada, Mexico and the United States, that kind of mobile support has become part of the event’s identity, especially for a 48-team tournament with 104 matches and no shortage of surprise brackets.

Brazil added to the knockout drama in Boston by edging Japan 2-1, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring late to seal a place in the last 16. The Brazilian crowd’s reaction showed how quickly a host city can become a temporary home for a traveling national community, especially when a game hangs into the final moments and a single goal can redraw the tournament map.

Monterrey produced its own emotional swing when Morocco beat the Netherlands 3-2 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw. The match sent the Selección de Marruecos through and ended the Dutch run, while also transforming the stands and surrounding streets into a split scene of elation and heartbreak, with Moroccan fans celebrating a place in the next round and Dutch supporters left to absorb another shootout exit.

The first World Cup to expand to 48 teams has amplified those kinds of shifts. With more nations alive deeper into the competition and more host cities carrying the weight of each upset, Paraguay’s breakthrough, Brazil’s narrow escape, and Morocco’s penalty win have each landed as more than a result. They have moved crowds, changed the noise in Boston and Monterrey, and given underdog supporters a rare chance to make a host city feel like home.