The story reaches back to 1893, when more than 200 people reportedly left Sydney after journalist William Lane promoted a socialist settlement in South America. Paraguay offered land at a time when it needed young people after devastating wars with its neighbours.
The first colony was called Nueva Australia. According to the account, strict rules around alcohol, language and relations with local people soon created tensions. A breakaway group later established Cosme, where Wood’s grandfather was born.
Wood, Paraguay’s honorary consul in Melbourne, traces his family directly to that settlement. His own journey has carried the connection in the opposite direction: born in Paraguay, he later studied and worked in Australia before settling in Melbourne.
Cosme reportedly still carries reminders of its origins. Queensland-style houses remain, while surnames including Wood, Kennedy and McCluskey are still found in the area.
For a small Paraguayan community in Australia, those links give the World Cup meeting an emotional edge. Flags, gatherings and watch parties are turning a distant fixture into a shared national occasion.
The match will inevitably be judged by the result, but its meaning will not end at the final whistle. It has brought attention to a story that might otherwise remain buried in family histories and a remote settlement several hours from Asunción.
When Australia and Paraguay finally take the field, supporters will be watching more than a World Cup contest. They will also be adding a new chapter to a connection that began with Nueva Australia and survived through Cosme.