Singapore – Paraguay: prediction and analysis for the friendly on November 13, 2026
However, this is an excellent opportunity for the hosts to test themselves against a team from a completely different footballing continent.
The match will be played at the National Stadium in Singapore and will kick off the international Mizuho Blue Challenge – The Kallang Football Series. Japan and Brazil are also taking part. For Singapore, these games will be part of their preparations for the 2027 Asian Cup, which the team qualified for on sporting merit for the first time in its history.
Singapore: a stern test for the hosts
The Singapore national team, led by Gavin Lee, are continuing preparations for their historic appearance at the continental finals. The November international break gives the coaching staff a chance to test their players against opponents from a completely different level.
The coach has named 24 players for the upcoming matches. There are several interesting choices in the squad: for example, 21-year-old midfielder Wu Chun Wei has received his first call-up to the national team after some strong performances for Balestier Khalsa. Safuwan Baharudin, Darren Teh and Joshua Pereira have also returned to the squad.
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There are also some absentees. Forward Ikhsan Fandi will miss out through injury, while defender Perry Ng will be unavailable for personal reasons.
It is worth noting that Singapore are 149th in the FIFA rankings, while Paraguay are significantly higher. The hosts' main objective, then, will be less about the result and more about testing their organisation against a strong international opponent.
Paraguay: Alfaro banks on a blend of experience and youth
Paraguay head to Asia with considerably greater squad depth. Gustavo Alfaro's side are continuing to build after the 2026 World Cup, where La Albirroja gained valuable international experience. The coaching staff now want to take a closer look at their reserves and give several young players some minutes on the pitch.
On November 7, a 27-man squad was announced for the matches against Singapore and Japan. It includes four newcomers: goalkeeper Facundo Insfrán, defender Mauro Coronel, midfielder Eduardo Delmás and forward Allan Wlk.
At the same time, the team's core remains strong. Alfaro will have Gustavo Gómez, Omar Alderete, Junior Alonso, Miguel Almirón, Julio Enciso, Diego Gómez and Mathías Villasanti at his disposal. Enciso and Almirón will be especially interesting to watch: both can create danger with their individual skill, pace and ability to produce the unexpected.
There are some absentees, too. Andrés Cubas, Ramón Sosa and José Canale have not been included in the squad. Cubas is dealing with physical issues, while Sosa will focus on his club commitments.
The upcoming match is a good opportunity for Alfaro to assess the depth of his squad. Paraguay are already looking ahead to the next World Cup qualifying campaign, so these friendlies have real sporting value.
Tactics and head-to-head record
In terms of quality, Paraguay have the clear edge. The South Americans are used to facing top-level opposition, know how to perform under pressure and have players capable of deciding a match on their own.
Under Alfaro, the team usually focus on organisation, keeping the lines compact and defending reliably. Paraguay will not necessarily dominate possession, but they will look to exploit space intelligently and transition quickly from defence to attack.
Singapore are likely to spend more time without the ball. The hosts may look to stay compact and prevent their opponents from advancing freely through the middle. The support of the home crowd should also give the team a confidence boost.
As for the head-to-head record, this is not a fixture with a rich history. The teams come from different footballing regions and have not played a long series of regular competitive matches against each other. That makes their current squads and motivation all the more interesting to assess.
I would not overcomplicate this one. Paraguay are objectively stronger in terms of personnel, have more experience of international football and boast players capable of creating danger out of almost nothing.
Of course, the friendly nature of the match could affect how it unfolds. Gustavo Alfaro will surely want to take a look at his newcomers, so we may well see a large number of substitutions as the game progresses. Even with rotation, though, the visitors should have enough quality to get a positive result.
It is important for Singapore to gain experience against strong opposition, but maintaining a high level of concentration for all 90 minutes will be difficult—especially if Paraguay manage to score in the first half.
My prediction: over 3 total goals.
