Paraguay celebrates historic World Cup victory against Germany with public holiday

Paraguay’s historic World Cup win over Germany was celebrated with a national public holiday after President Santiago Pena signed a decree marking one of the biggest moments in the country’s football history.

Germany vs Paraguay, FIFA World Cup 2026, Round of 32: Highlights | Message

The South American nation stunned four-time world champions Germany in the round of 32, winning in a dramatic penalty shoot-out after the match ended 1-1 after extra time. The win secured Paraguay a place in the round of 16 for the first time since the 2010 World Cup and instantly became one of the biggest knockouts the tournament has seen.

A few hours after the famous victory, the Paraguayan government announced that Tuesday, June 30, would be celebrated as a national holiday.

In an official statement, the Presidency of the Republic said that the decision was taken “in recognition of the historic victory of the Paraguayan national football team over Germany”.

PARAGUAY MAKES HISTORY

Hundreds of thousands of Paraguayans are celebrating Albiroj’s heroic victory against Germany, which has once again disgusted and embarrassed them for the third time at the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/gEaIkeOHR2— World in Conflict (@MundoEConflicto) June 30, 2026

The statement added that the measure would allow Paraguayans to celebrate together “this important sporting achievement that fills the entire nation with pride.”

An accompanying presidential decree described the result as an “epic victory” over Germany and called Paraguay’s qualification for the round of 16 a landmark achievement for the country.

A HISTORICAL SUCCESS

The decree underlined the significance of the result, describing the performance as embodying the identity and fighting spirit of Paraguay. It also marked the victory as an achievement that transcended football and united the nation.

Paraguay entered the knockout clash as overwhelming underdogs against a German side that were among the favorites to win the World Cup. But La Albirroja produced a disciplined defense before holding their nerve in a penalty shoot-out to knock out the four-time champions. Image: X/@PresidenciaPy

Goalkeeper Orlando Gill emerged as the hero with a superb performance before Paraguay converted four of their penalties to complete a famous upset.

The win also ended Paraguay’s 16-year wait to progress to the knockout stages of the World Cup, with the South Americans now set to continue their remarkable campaign in the last eight.

For a nation whose biggest World Cup run ended in the quarter-finals in 2010, beating Germany was enough to secure a place in football history. The declaration of a national public holiday ensured that the success was celebrated far beyond the pitch.

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Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

30 Jun 2026 08:53 IST