The 2026 FIFA World Cup is delivering something Australian football has rarely experienced: genuine stakes. The Socceroos’ Group D clash against Paraguay could send Australia to the knockout rounds for only the third time in the country’s history. And broadcaster SBS, which has carried every World Cup since Mexico 1986, is expecting record-breaking audiences to match the moment.
The match that could make SBS history
SBS sports director Ken Shipp has predicted the Paraguay fixture will likely deliver the largest audience in the broadcaster’s entire World Cup history. That’s nearly four decades of coverage condensed into a single match’s viewership potential.
Australia’s squad features 17 players making their World Cup debut, and the team carries a 2-0-3 record against Paraguay in previous meetings. Their last win over the South Americans came in 2010.
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