Australia vs Paraguay: How to watch live and free, kick-off time and what’s at stake
Key takeaways
- Australia vs Paraguay kicks off Friday, 26 June at 12pm AEST, and it's completely free to watch on SBS.
- If the Socceroos win or draw, they'll go through to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup.
- If you're heading to the pub for the arvo game, our interactive map can help you track down a cheap pint.
Australia's fate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup rests on a Friday lunchtime showdown this week.
Here's everything you need to know about kick-off time, where to watch and what's at stake.
What time does Australia vs Paraguay kick off?
The game is scheduled for Friday, 26 June at 12pm AEST.
It's being played at Levi's Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area Stadium) in Santa Clara, California.
How do I watch Australia vs Paraguay for free?
SBS has exclusive broadcast rights to the entire World Cup in Australia, which means this one is completely free to watch.
Your options are:
- SBS (Channel 3) for live free-to-air coverage
- SBS VICELAND (Channel 31) if there's a scheduling clash
- SBS On Demand to live stream, or catch replays and highlights on demand
All you need to do is create a free SBS account to start your stream.
Where to grab a cheap pint and watch the Socceroos
If you'd rather watch with a crowd, the Friday lunchtime kick-off is one of the better time slots of this World Cup.
Use the interactive map to find nearby venues serving cheap beer.
What does Australia need to advance at the World Cup?
This will be Australia's final group game.
They're currently sitting second with three points, while Paraguay is third, also on three points but with a goal difference of -2.
The USA has already qualified from the top of the group after beating Australia 2-0.
A win against Paraguay will seal Australia's place in the knockout stage as Group D runners-up.
A draw would do the same. Both sides would finish on four points, but since the head-to-head result can't split them, it goes to goal difference. Here, Australia comes out on top.
A loss makes things more complicated. Australia would stay on three points and would need to hope their record stacks up against third-placed teams across the other groups.
Australia's World Cup history
The Socceroos have never won the World Cup.
Their best result was reaching the Round of 16, which they've done twice, first in Germany in 2006 and then in Qatar in 2022.
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