For Ismael Roman, co-owner of I Love Paraguay, the World Cup has been “an emotional rollercoaster”. The restaurant, one of the Paraguayan establishments in Queens, New York, has become a gathering place for fans navigating both the heartbreak of Paraguay’s 4–1 loss to the USA and the joy of their 1–0 victory over Türkiye. “We are getting people from all over the country who want to experience Paraguay, through our food, our drinks, and our atmosphere,” Roman tells The Asunción Times.
Match days in Queens
The match against the USA brought mixed emotions for many Paraguayans living abroad. “We Paraguayans living in the United States have double love, for Paraguay and for the USA. It was not really a loss; it was a win for another team we also love,” Roman reflects.
The victory over Türkiye, however, was a very different scene. “Everybody was enjoying a nice cold beer, screaming Paraguay, flying their flags around the restaurant. People were even dancing and taking off all their shirts and just twisting them around. The atmosphere was great.”
Now the focus is on Paraguay’s decisive clash against Australia on 25 June 2026. Roman says the restaurant is already preparing for another packed night. “We are expecting to win the next game for us to go into the next bracket and continue. We hope things go very well with the team and they can continue moving forward into the next steps.”
A home for Paraguayans abroad
Beyond football, I Love Paraguay has become an important cultural space for Paraguayans in New York. Roman believes the restaurant helps represent a community that is often overlooked in the city’s diverse landscape.
“We are one of the smallest communities in New York from Paraguay. Not a lot of people know about Paraguay, but I think we are representing it very well.”
He also recalls being recognised by the Queens Chamber of Commerce. “For maybe 15 years before, nobody knew about Paraguay… now Paraguay is being recognised, and the FIFA World Cup is a big push for other communities to know where Paraguay is.”
Food, beer, and Paraguayan pride
The restaurant’s menu remains rooted in tradition. Dishes such as sopa paraguaya, parrillada for two, and empanadas continue to be crowd favourites. But Roman has also added his own touch through a locally crafted beer inspired by Paraguay.
“I decided to go to Paraguay, study a little bit of how it is made, what hops and seeds they use. When I came back, I had an idea of creating our own beer.”
For the World Cup, the beer was even dressed in Paraguay’s jersey, becoming part of the celebrations inside the restaurant. Roman hopes the tournament’s visibility will create opportunities beyond this year’s competition. “I hope with this World Cup we can actually continue expanding ourselves and maybe continue being hopefully an official partner of Paraguay when they play anywhere. Now that we are getting the exposure from the World Cup… it will be great that eventually one day we can actually be part of it as a sponsor.”
Paraguay’s colours in New York
As Paraguay advances through the tournament, places like I Love Paraguay show how football can unite communities far from home. In the middle of Queens, red-and-white flags, cold beer, and Paraguayan food have turned one family restaurant into a small embassy of Albirroja passion.
