Germany 1-1 Paraguay (3-4 pens): The 2026 World Cup Upset That Made History

On June 29, 2026, Paraguay produced the biggest upset of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, eliminating four-time champion Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the round of 32 at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts .

How the match unfolded

First half: Paraguay strike first

Paraguay took the lead just before halftime. In the 42nd minute, Julio Enciso rose to head the ball past the German goalkeeper, sending La Albirroja into the break with a 1-0 advantage .

Second half: Germany equalize

Germany responded early in the second half. In the 54th minute, Kai Havertz scored the equalizer, leveling the match at 1-1 .

Despite dominating possession — holding 75% of the ball and outshooting Paraguay 21-7 — Germany could not find a winner in regulation or extra time .

Controversial VAR decision: Jonathan Tah's disallowed goal

The most pivotal moment came in the 101st minute of extra time. Germany defender Jonathan Tah rose highest from a corner kick delivered by Nathaniel Brown and headed the ball past Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill, seemingly giving Germany a 2-1 lead .

The German players celebrated, but the referee halted play for a VAR review . After checking the monitor, referee Jalal Jayed determined that Germany's Waldemar Anton had made contact with Gill's face or head before the header, ruling it a foul on the goalkeeper .

The goal was disallowed, sparking widespread controversy. The Independent reported that the decision "left a bitter taste," with replays showing only minimal contact . BBC referee analyst Darren Cann disagreed with the call, saying there was "hardly any" contact .

Penalty shootout: Paraguay prevails

With the score still 1-1 after 120 minutes, the match went to a penalty shootout .

Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill made two crucial saves, and defender José Canale scored the decisive sudden-death penalty to seal the 4-3 victory . Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade, and Jonathan Tah all missed for Germany in the shootout .

Historical significance

For Germany

This was Germany's first-ever World Cup penalty shootout defeat. They had entered the match with a perfect 4-0 record in World Cup shootouts . The loss marked Germany's third consecutive knockout-stage failure — following group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022 — and immediately placed manager Julian Nagelsmann's job in serious jeopardy .

For Paraguay

This was a landmark victory — their first knockout-stage win in a World Cup since 2010, and they ended a streak of five knockout matches without scoring . The result was hailed as "Paraguay's finest hour" and the biggest upset of the 2026 tournament . India Today called it "the greatest night in the nation's footballing history" .