France vs Paraguay World Cup knockout sans Tchouaméni

Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni was ruled out of France's round‑of‑16 match against Paraguay at the 2026 World Cup after an MRI revealed a minor adductor lesion. He will be replaced by Manu Koné, who previously started the group‑stage win over Iraq.

The match is scheduled for Saturday, 4 July, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, with kickoff at 23:00 CET (17:00 local time). France reached the knockout stage after a 3‑0 victory over Sweden, while Paraguay advanced by eliminating Germany. The game will be broadcast free‑to‑air on France’s M6 channel and on the pay‑TV network beIN Sports.

Should France progress, they will meet the winner of the Morocco‑Canada tie in the quarter‑finals, set for 9 July in Boston. The absence of Tchouaméni, a key defensive midfielder, is considered a major blow to Didier Deschamps’ side, though Koné offers different attacking options.