Turkey and Paraguay both enter Friday's clash facing immense pressure after opening-match defeats, making this one of the most pivotal games of Matchday 2.
Turkey's setback against Australia has left little margin for error, with three points now essential to keep its knockout-stage hopes alive. Paraguay, meanwhile, was overwhelmed by a high-flying United States side in its opener but now has an opportunity to bounce back against a Turkish team still searching for answers.
With neither side holding a clear edge on paper, I'm expecting a tightly contested affair.
Check out my Turkey vs. Paraguay predictions and World Cup picks for Friday, June 19, to see why I'm backing the draw.
TOP PICK
Who will win Turkey vs Paraguay: Draw (+243)
Turkey were average against Australia, eventually losing the match 2-0 in their World Cup opener. Juventus star forward Kenan Yildiz could only come off the bench in the second half as he struggled with an injury.
The good news is that he should be fit to face Paraguay, which is a major boost for Turkey's national team manager, Vincenzo Montella. Having him in the starting XI could mean another of Turkey’s stars, Barıs Alper, drops to the bench.
With or without Yildiz, they've rarely been impressive in recent months. Turkey only qualified for the World Cup after two narrow 1-0 wins in the playoffs against Romania and Kosovo, two teams they were heavy favorites against.
Turkey’s team play has been a concern lately, and the fact that they don’t rely on a traditional striker seems to add to the problem.
Paraguay, on the other hand, were capable of beating both Argentina and Brazil in qualifying for the World Cup. Their 4-1 defeat against the Americans in their first match should not necessarily make them underdogs in this match.
I believe a draw is the most probable outcome of this clash, and I would play it down to +230.
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Turkey vs Paraguay Over/Under pick: Under 2.5 (-133)
Unlike their energetic performance at Euro 2024, Turkey have become a less spectacular and much more cautious side in decisive matches. In part, that's caused by their struggles to convert chances into goals that would reflect the quality of their squad.
I mean, they’re counting on Real Madrid’s Arda Guler, Juventus’ Kenan Yıldız, and Inter’s Hakan Calhanoglu, so creativity should never be a problem, but they’ve been lacking the final touch, and their opponents know that solid defending could be enough to stop their blunt attacks.
If Paraguay manage to keep Guler and Yildiz away from the final third, I believe they have a strong chance of avoiding conceding. Also, Calhanoglu must not be allowed to have free kicks in dangerous positions.
I think Paraguay will be happy to concede possession and rely on counterattacks, knowing that Turkey haven’t been dangerous enough over their last three games. Also taking into account what’s at stake, we should witness a low-scoring affair in Philadelphia. Playable to -140.
TOp pick
Turkey vs Paraguay goal scorer pick: Julio Enciso (+375)
Julio Enciso has had Over 1.5 shots in four of his last five appearances for his national team and logged 3+ shots in three of those matches, managing to either score or assist in three of his last four appearances for Paraguay.
For Strasbourg, he contributed to nine goals (scoring and assisting) in the French Ligue 1 last season. He's in form and hungry to deliver for his country.
Turkey vs Paraguay projected lineup
Turkey (4-2-3-1): Cakir, Celik, Demiral, Bardakci, Kadioglu, Calhanoglu, Yuksek, Guler, Kokcu, Yildiz, Akturkoglu.
Paraguay (4-4-2): Gill, Caceres, Gustavo Gomez, Alderete, Alonso, Diego Gomez, Mauricio, Cubas, Almiron, Sanabria, Enciso.
Turkey vs Paraguay injuries
Turkey: No key injuries to report.
Paraguay: No key injuries to report.
Turkey vs Paraguay weather
Expect pleasant, sunny skies with daytime highs in the high-70s, dropping to evening lows in the high-50s. No precipitation is expected.
Turkey vs Paraguay odds today
 Turkey |
 Paraguay |
|
|---|---|---|
| +104 | Moneyline | +300 |
| +245 | Draw | +245 |
| Over 2.5 (+117) | Total | Under 2.5 (-127) |
Odds courtesy of Kalshi.
How to watch Turkey vs Paraguay
Check out FIFA's official 2026 World Cup website for more information.
| Location | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA |
| Date | Friday, June 19, 2026 |
| Time | 11 p.m. ET |
| TV | FS1 |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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