PHILADELPHIA - The World Cup round-of-32 matchups were just finalized, but Philadelphia fans can already see who could be coming to the city for a July 4 round-of-16 match.
Germany, Paraguay, France and Sweden are all on the path to Philadelphia Stadium, where the winners of two knockout-stage matches will meet on America’s 250th birthday.
Who could play in Philadelphia on July 4?
Philadelphia Stadium will host a round-of-16 match on Saturday, July 4.
The game will feature the winner of Germany vs. Paraguay against the winner of France vs. Sweden.
That means one of these four teams will be headed to Philadelphia:
- Germany
- Paraguay
- France
- Sweden
The match will fall on America’s 250th birthday, giving Philadelphia an especially high-profile place in the World Cup knockout schedule.
Germany vs. Paraguay
Germany will face Paraguay in the round of 32 on Monday, June 29, in Boston.
Germany enters the knockout stage as one of the favorites after winning Group E. The Germans opened the tournament with a 7-1 win over Curaçao, followed it with a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast and then lost 2-1 to Ecuador in the group finale.
Germany finished group play with six points and a plus-six goal differential.
Paraguay reached the knockout stage as a third-place team from Group D. Paraguay lost 4-1 to the United States in its opener, then beat Türkiye 1-0 and drew Australia 0-0.
Paraguay finished the group stage with four points.
Germany will be favored, but Paraguay has already shown it can recover from a difficult start and stay organized enough to survive a knockout-stage path.
France vs. Sweden
France will face Sweden in the round of 32 on Tuesday, June 30, at New York New Jersey Stadium.
France enters the matchup as one of the strongest teams left in the tournament. The French swept through Group I with wins over Senegal, Iraq and Norway.
France scored 10 goals across three group matches and allowed two.
Kylian M'bappe strikes and scores for France against Iraq in Philadelphia Stadium (Photo: Tyler Thrasher/FOX)
Sweden’s route looked very different. Sweden opened with a 5-1 win over Tunisia, then lost 5-1 to the Netherlands before earning a 1-1 draw against Japan.
Sweden advanced as a third-place team with four points.
France will be the favorite, but Sweden’s opening win showed how dangerous it can be when its attack gets going.
Could Philadelphia get France vs. Germany?
The most eye-catching possibility is clear: France vs. Germany in Philadelphia.
If both favorites win their round-of-32 matches, two European powers would meet in Philadelphia on July 4 with a place in the quarterfinals on the line.
That would make the match one of the biggest events of the city’s World Cup schedule and a major moment for Philadelphia during America’s 250th birthday celebration.
France has looked like one of the tournament’s most complete teams so far, while Germany still carries the pedigree and attacking power of a nation built for knockout-stage soccer.
But the World Cup rarely follows the cleanest path.
Paraguay and Sweden both reached the knockout stage for a reason, and either could spoil the expected matchup before the bracket reaches Philadelphia.
Why this match matters for Philadelphia
Philadelphia is already set to host one of the most meaningful dates on the World Cup calendar.
A round-of-16 match on July 4 would be significant in any year. In 2026, it lands on America’s 250th birthday.
That means the city could celebrate the country’s milestone anniversary while hosting a knockout-stage World Cup match featuring Germany, France, Paraguay or Sweden.
For local fans, the next step is simple: watch the round of 32 and see which two teams earn the trip to Philadelphia.
What's next:
Germany and Paraguay will play June 29 in Boston.
France and Sweden will play June 30 at New York New Jersey Stadium.
The winners will meet July 4 at Philadelphia Stadium in the round of 16.
The Source: This article was written using information from FIFA, FOX Sports and FWC26 Philly.