The ball is rolling again in Paraguayan football, and the opening matchday of the 2026 Clausura Tournament will feature Cerro Porteño taking center stage. Starting at 6:30 PM, the blue-and-red tide will fill La Nueva Olla stadium for the "Ciclón's" debut, one of the top title contenders, who will face the always-tricky Sportivo Trinidense under referee Derlis López. For the club from Barrio Obrero, there's no room for error: winning the year's second championship is an absolute requirement. After watching their fierce rival Olimpia claim the Apertura Tournament, the squad led by Argentine coach Ariel Holan needs to make a statement domestically and reclaim glory at home. The transfer market brought fresh energy to the blue-and-red locker room with eight new signings. However, the Argentine coach will need to rebuild after a significant loss to the team's structure: the departure of goalkeeper Alexis Martín Arias, a key player in recent tournaments, who moved to Uruguayan football to play for Nacional. Winning the Clausura means much more to Cerro Porteño than adding another trophy to their cabinet. The top prize is direct qualification to the group stage of next season's Copa Libertadores, an international tournament that became the team's great refuge during the first half of the year. The blue-and-red squad completed a brilliant group stage, finishing first in their group ahead of powerful Palmeiras, a rival they'll face again in the round of 16. On the other side, Sportivo Trinidense arrives in Barrio Obrero with clear ambitions and the desire to be a protagonist. The team led by José Gabriel Arrúa has its sights set on securing an international spot through the aggregate table, and knows how to hurt the 'Ciclón.' The most recent head-to-head favors the visitors, who secured a decisive 3-1 win in Villa Elisa in the second-to-last matchday of the Apertura — a timely warning that they won't just be spectators at the blue-and-red's debut celebration.