Paraguay declared a national holiday on Tuesday after the national team produced one of the biggest upsets of the FIFA World Cup 2026 by eliminating Germany in the Round of 32.
President Santiago Peña announced the decision following Paraguay's dramatic penalty shootout victory over the four-time world champions after the match ended 1-1 following extra time.
Taking to social media shortly after the historic win, Peña celebrated the achievement by writing, "Paraguay never gives up. Today is a national holiday," before officially signing a decree declaring June 30 a public holiday across the country.
The announcement came as celebrations erupted nationwide, with thousands of supporters taking to the streets to mark Paraguay's return to the global football spotlight after missing the previous three FIFA World Cups.
Paraguay secured its place in the Round of 16 after an impressive tournament, culminating in a memorable victory over Germany, one of the biggest surprises of the competition.
The South American side will now face the winner of the clash between France and Sweden for a place in the quarter-finals.
The qualification also brings Paraguay a step closer to matching its best-ever FIFA World Cup performance, having reached the quarter-finals at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
According to La Capital, the government's decision to declare a public holiday reflected the immense national pride generated by the team's remarkable achievement, which has reignited hopes of another memorable World Cup campaign.
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