Key facts
- Paraguayan fans in the U.S. are celebrating their national team's return to the World Cup after a 16-year hiatus.
- The team is ranked 40th by FIFA and is making its ninth World Cup appearance.
- Fans are organizing watch parties and travel to matches, with some facing high ticket prices.
- Paraguay's best World Cup performance was reaching the quarterfinals in 2010.
- The team is in Group D with the U.S., Turkey, and Australia.
Paraguayan fans residing in the United States are expressing excitement and making elaborate plans to support their national soccer team as it makes a long-awaited return to the World Cup after a 16-year absence. The team, currently ranked 40th by FIFA, is participating in its ninth World Cup, with its best performance being a quarterfinal appearance in 2010.
Across the U.S., Paraguayan communities are organizing watch parties, barbecues, and gatherings to follow the team's progress through the group stage. While some fans are facing challenges with high ticket prices, particularly for the opening match against the U.S., many are still securing seats for subsequent games. Dedicated fans like Santiago Araujo, whose family owns a Paraguayan restaurant in Pacific Grove, California, have purchased tickets to see the team play Australia in Santa Clara.
Paraguay, a landlocked South American nation with approximately 7 million people, has a diaspora of about 37,000 individuals in the U.S., with notable concentrations in New York and Bernardsville, New Jersey. These communities are preparing to cheer on their team, known for its red-and-white jerseys, with traditional foods and cultural celebrations. Veteran player Miguel Almirón, who plays for MLS's Atlanta United, shared his anticipation and the emotional significance of representing his country on the world's biggest soccer stage.
Despite the distance and associated costs, fans like Zoraida Pereira, a travel agent, have noted sales for travel packages to Santa Clara, though the opening game's ticket prices have deterred some. The fervor extends beyond the U.S., with a documentary released in Paraguay chronicling the team's journey back to the World Cup, and the team was sent off with considerable fanfare. Fans like Rodrigo Valdez are planning significant travel within California to support the team, viewing it as a unique and meaningful opportunity.