Turkey and Paraguay will both be searching for their first win of the competition when they meet in Group D at the 2026 World Cup. We’ve put together a 25/1 Bet Builder ahead of the meeting at Levi’s Staidium, California.
After scouring the form, trends and data we’ve put together a four-leg Bet Builder that offers plenty of value for the World Cup clash.
The combined selection comes in at 25/1 with Paddy Power. Below, we break down each leg of the bet and explain why it could prove a winner on the night.
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Turkey vs Paraguay Bet Builder Tip
Turkey to win
The European side carry the superior squad quality and the greater incentive to impose their game. They recorded 30 shots in their defeat to Australia – a number that highlights how unusual that result truly was and how dangerous their attack can be.
They arrived at this tournament off the back of four wins in their last five matches, keeping back-to-back clean sheets against Romania and Kosovo. Paraguay, by contrast, look badly exposed. Their heavy 4-1 opening defeat to the United States revealed real defensive fragility at the back – exactly the kind of vulnerability that Turkey’s fluid, technically gifted front four will target.
Turkey possess an edge in individual quality through Arda Guler, Kenan Yildiz and Kerem Akturkoglu, and a draw is close to useless for either side, which should produce an open, attacking contest. With Turkey’s better squad depth and Paraguay visibly rattled after their opener, Montella’s side should have enough to take all three points in Santa Clara.
Arda Guler anytime goalscorer
Guler arrives at this fixture as Turkey’s most gifted creator and one of the most exciting players at the entire tournament. He scored six times in 28 caps for Turkey and created 12 chances with four assists during UEFA World Cup qualifying – only two players across the entire campaign managed more.
He led Real Madrid with nine assists in La Liga this season and created 70 goalscoring opportunities throughout the domestic campaign – an extraordinary creative output that underlines his ability to influence games at the highest level. Guler’s coach Montella compares the reverence he commands in Turkey to Maradona at Napoli – and with Turkey desperate for a statement performance, he carries the full weight of that expectation on his shoulders on Saturday.
Paraguay’s midfield struggled to contain the United States in their opener and will face a far more technically polished opponent in Guler. His long-range shooting ability and movement between the lines give him multiple routes to goal.
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Alexandro Maidana to be booked
Maidana is a 20-year-old left-back who only recently broke into the senior Paraguay squad – a profile that carries a clear booking risk in high-pressure World Cup football.
He picked up five yellow cards across 23 appearances for Guarani in the Paraguayan Primera División in 2025 – roughly one booking every four and a half games at club level. That disciplinary record reflects an aggressive, committed defensive style that translates poorly into the tighter officiating of a World Cup setting. His role at left-back places him directly opposite Turkey’s right-sided attackers – likely Kerem Akturkoglu or Baris Alper Yilmaz – throughout the full 90 minutes.
Paraguay will need to defend deep against a Turkey attack that generated 30 shots against Australia, demanding maximum effort from every defender. Maidana’s youth, his disciplinary history and the enormous pressure of a must-win fixture make him a strong booking selection at this level.
Both teams to score – No
The case for Turkey to keep a clean sheet rests on Paraguay’s extraordinary attacking poverty in recent results. Nine of Paraguay’s last ten World Cup matches have produced under 2.5 goals – and their attacking threat has been minimal throughout that run. They scored just once in their 4-1 defeat to the United States – an own goal – and their frontline of Sanabria and Enciso struggled to create meaningful chances against an organised American defence.
Turkey, by contrast, should dominate territory and possession throughout. Turkey’s defensive spine of Cakir, Demiral and Bardakci stayed intact through the Australia defeat, and their backline was breached only by two clinical counter-attacks – not systemic vulnerability.
Paraguay’s best hope is a set piece or a moment of individual quality. Against a Turkey side that has kept consecutive clean sheets in their most recent competitive run, finding that goal looks an extremely tall order on Saturday morning.
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