The Socceroos have secured a 0-0 draw with Paraguay, booking their place in the World Cup knockout round for the third time in their history. The match, played in the San Francisco Bay Area, was attended by about 12,000 Australian fans, with thousands more watching at live sites across Australian cities.
Match Details and Next Opponent
The stalemate was one of six matches on Friday as group stages concluded. In Group D, the United States lost 3-2 to Turkey, while Ecuador beat Germany 2-1 to reach the last 32, and Côte d'Ivoire advanced for the first time with a 2-0 win over Curaçao. Japan and Sweden drew 1-1 to advance from Group F, and the Netherlands beat Tunisia 3-1.
Australia's opponent in the next round is yet to be determined, with four possible matchups: Egypt, Iran, Belgium, or New Zealand.
Coach's Reaction
Tony Popovic, the Socceroos' coach, expressed pride in his team. 'The staff, the players – just a wonderful young group of men – and now we go to Dallas and we'll try and do something special,' he said.
Other Top News
In other news, Karl Stefanovic has left Nine Entertainment after interviewing British far-right activist Tommy Robinson on his independent podcast. A Nine spokesperson said, 'While Karl and Nine had previously agreed he would leave Today at the end of this year, they have subsequently decided he will leave the network immediately.' Stefanovic posted on social media, 'I'm free, truly independent.'
Apple has hiked prices for iPads and MacBooks in Australia by at least 20%, citing AI. Australian musicians have warned after several artists' work was scraped into an AI tool. The Blue Mountains highway will be closed for another year as NSW reveals bridge plans.
World Cup 2026 Update
Connor Metcalfe of Australia sustained a cut during the match. The Socceroos' advance marks their third time in the knockout round, a historic achievement for the team.
