The 48-team format’s wider R32 bracket creates more upset opportunities than the 32-team era. The dramatic elimination sparked emotional reactions across Iran. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei described the team’s misfortune as extraordinary after Iran became the first side at the tournament to have three goals ruled out by VAR.
I personally love this matchup, with two of Africa’s strongest sides potentially meeting in the knockout round. Ivory Coast return to the World Cup after a 12‑year absence, built around a core of prime‑age players. While their physicality and attacking threat stand out, their defense is arguably their greatest strength, led by Roma’s Evan N’Dicka. That said, Senegal appear the more complete side, with greater star power likely to make the difference. This contest may be decided in extra time or penalties, favoring Senegal. Get the latest World Cup 2026 predictions and betting tips, powered by our AI algorithm, NT Apex.
Belgium vs Senegal Picks, Tips, Odds & Best Bets: 2026 World Cup Round of 32
These two traditional European heavyweights have a rich shared history on the international stage. Right now, though, France appears to have the edge in most departments. Ivory Coast arguably should have won all three of their Group E matches after they threw away a 1-0 lead to lose late against Germany, but Emerse Fae’s team have found goals hard to come by. world cup 2026 schedule The same cannot be said of Norway and their rested and refreshed talisman Erling Haaland. Get expert predictions for every match, updated daily throughout the tournament.
From the oldest coach in World Cup history to Lionel Messi’s and Kylian Mbappé’s chase for the all-time World Cup scoring record, history will likely be made this summer. Tactics and managerial decision-making can be the difference between winning and losing a World Cup game, and there are plenty of skippers in the tournament that have had success coaching around the globe. While the field is a bit more watered-down than in previous iterations of the tournament, it’ll still be a challenge for most teams looking to advance to the Round of 32. The Yahoo Sports soccer team has its picks for Golden Ball, Golden Boot, Golden Glove, biggest disappointments and more right here. The World Cup draw took place on Dec. 5 and the 48 teams were slotted into 12 groups of four. The teams were given a final roster deadline of June 1, so we already know who will be representing each country (click on the teams below to see each roster).
Portugal vs Croatia Prediction
Jamiro Monteiro and Garry Rodrigues add craft in midfield, and manager Aguas is expected to name a similar side to the one that earned three draws through the group phase. For the co-hosts, Canada sits lowest in the rankings at 0.47%, with Mexico up at 1.81%. The USMNT leads the way once again at 2.45%, but there are 10 teams seen as more likely winners.
But even I can not confidently say Colombia will beat France, the most impressive team of the group stage, in a final scenario. They’re deep, everyone’s scoring, they’re changing and there is just a wealth of talent to choose from. But it’s at the end of this chapter and moving that things get real, real serious. The bracket is set, and now all 32 teams can start to dream about their path to the final. Ready to put your World Cup knowledge to the test this summer? 2026 Soccer Pick ‘Em with FOX One is a new free-to-play Yahoo Fantasy game where fans make picks each round, earn points and climb the leaderboard.
- Panama are playing only for pride after suffering narrow defeats to both Ghana and Croatia.
- But the likes of Enzo Fernández and Julián Alvarez have kicked on in the last two years, and any team which has Messi has a chance of going all the way – a creditable 8.7% chance, according to the supercomputer.
- Bosnia enter confidently after knocking out Italy and looks talented enough to win this group as long as Edin Dzeko can stay on the pitch at 40 years old.
- Croatia are another team whose best days may be behind them but can never be ruled out.
- According to the Opta supercomputer’s 25,000 pre-match simulations, the team has a 78.5 percent chance of winning.
- Ivory Coast return to the World Cup after a 12‑year absence, built around a core of prime‑age players.
- On this page you can view World Cup 2026 analysis and predictions.
- Meanwhile, France bring Championship pedigree, combining 2018 winners Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele with a new generation led by Michael Olise, Desire Doue and Rayan Cherki.
- For Lionel Messi and company, this is the start of their title defence in earnest.
- Fresh off a dominant qualifying cycle, England enter the tournament as one of the top favourites to take home the most prestigious international title.
- Stephen Eustaquio’s late goal sparked jubilant celebrations among the co-hosts, with head coach Jesse Marsch telling his players they had become “Canadian heroes” and inspired the next generation of footballers.
- Taremi urged FIFA to resolve the issues, saying the governing body had failed to provide the support promised before the tournament.
- It is little surprise, then, that Spain are our predictive model’s early World Cup favourites, going all the way in 17.0% of tournament predictions.
Best World Cup group stage games
From the greatest individual rivalry of the 21st century to the greatest international soccer rivalry of all time. This will be tense, brutal and impossible to take your eyes off. Even if Brazil have improved as expected under Ancelotti, they are a rung below their great foes at present. Haaland’s father’s generation (Alfie actually didn’t play at the tournament in question) claimed a famous group-stage win over Brazil at France ’98. Norway have nothing to lose and can hurt Brazil, but they have a defence that Vinicius and company can exploit enough times to progress.
Played every four years, teams battle it out for the Jules Rimet trophy and to have their name etched in history as World Cup winners. This knockout matchup is a close one, but Morocco hold the edge. Their continued success on the international stage has carried momentum into this tournament, supported by a young and exciting group of players. Japan, meanwhile, have not displayed the same level of dominance even within their confederation.
World Cup Day 9 What to Watch: Can United States clinch Group D with win over Australia?
The last time France were in the same group with Senegal, it didn’t end well. They crashed out at the group stage at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. Despite beating Argentina in the 2022 group stage, Saudi Arabia may once again fall short of a top-two finish, which looks reserved for Uruguay. Even if Lamine Yamal fails to recover for the early stages of the competition, this should be plain sailing for Spain, as they hope to build upon their 2024 UEFA European Championship triumph. A battle for second place ought to be far more exciting, with Iran likely to put Egypt’s credentials to the test after a decent group-stage campaign in Qatar.
Messi extends his World Cup legacy while Ronaldo faces defining moment
Jesse Marsch’s co-hosts missed out on top spot in Group B after defeat to Switzerland and must decamp to L.A. But they should have too much for South Africa, even if their often erratic finishing threatens to leave the game in the balance. 48 teams compete at the 2026 World Cup — expanded from 32 at Qatar 2022.
- They impressively finished second in South American qualifying and conceded just five goals in 18 matches.
- I’m taking Czechia and Mexico to advance, with South Korea finishing as one of the best third‑place teams behind Son Heung-Min.
- Main Pick – Argentina to Win @ 1/6Argentina have won all five of their recent matches and scored nine goals in three World Cup group fixtures.
- However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any intriguing games in the group stage.
- He’s also identified a longshot team priced at over +1000 that could pull off a massive shocker and hoist the trophy.
- Haaland has led from the front, while Ødegaard continues to dictate play from midfield.
- Thankfully, we can turn to the Opta supercomputer to provide a comprehensive World Cup forecast that sets realistic expectations for supporters of all 48 nations.
- Panama are given just an 8.9 percent chance of recording their first-ever World Cup victory, while the probability of them earning a maiden World Cup point stands at 12.6 percent.
- Leading the way is France with a chance of 18.66%, putting Les Bleus marginally ahead of Argentina’s 16.26%.
- FIFA Annex C determines R32 pairings based on which groups the third-placed teams come from.
- France have reached the final in four of the last seven editions – twice as often as any other nation during that period – and it would be a surprise if they were not there or thereabouts once again.
- A point would be enough for Colombia to secure the top spot in Group K.
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Knockout Stage Predictions
- Meanwhile, the USMNT are +6000 longshots to win on home soil, with co-host Mexico also at +6000 and Canada longshots at +17500.
- The knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 continues with a fascinating Round of 32 encounter as Ivory Coast take on Norway at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday.
- Before a ball has been kicked, Scotland’s likeliest result is seen as elimination in the round of 32.
- Switzerland’s experience and defensive structure should see them through comfortably, as well.
- But it’s at the end of this chapter and moving that things get real, real serious.
- Even at home in the 2022 World Cup, Qatar still couldn’t get a point and they’ll likely struggle to do so again.
- Egypt, Mohamed Salah and all, should have more than enough to do the job here.
- The Round of 32 is a brand-new knockout stage introduced for 2026.
- As Germany are eager to make amends for a shocking 2-1 loss to Ecuador, we predict a 2-1 home win.
Canada reached the last 16 thanks to a hard-fought 1-0 win over South Africa, with Stephen Eustaquio scoring the dec… The favoured teams, however, are France and Spain, with England deemed to have a strong chance as well. France will pursue a third straight final and third title overall, while past winners Spain enter as European champions. It was Spain’s victory over England in the Euro 2024 final that heralded the end of Gareth Southgate’s time leading the Three Lions, ushering in Thomas Tuchel’s reign. Germany are given a 54.7 percent chance of winning inside 90 minutes, while Paraguay’s chances stand at 23.1 percent. The remaining 22.3 percent of simulations ended level after normal time, sending the tie to extra time and possibly penalties.
Lewandowski scored his tally in 10 games, two more than Haaland. Canada are deemed the least likely of the host nations to go all the way, winning the tournament in just 0.4% of our simulations, though they are only a year removed from a historic tournament run. Their route to this World Cup was not completely smooth, either, as they were left needing victory over Slovakia in their final Group A game to avoid the play-offs. But they won that match by a statement 6-0 scoreline, with Nick Woltemade, Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sané among the goals.
Germany vs. France
The comments came against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Iran and the US following recent military attacks and a fragile ceasefire. Taremi urged FIFA to resolve the issues, saying the governing body had failed to provide the support promised before the tournament. Iran captain Mehdi Taremi accused FIFA of failing to address logistical problems facing his team at the World Cup after Friday’s 1-1 draw with Egypt. Colombia will become just the third South American team Portugal have faced at the World Cup, following previous meetings with Brazil and Uruguay. Despite sitting a point behind Ghana in Group L, Croatia are clear favourites to claim victory, according to the Opta supercomputer.
USA’s Path To 2026 World Cup Final: Latest Projected Opponents For Round Of 16 And On
Brazil and Japan match up in a Round of 32 contest in the World Cup 2026 on Monday. Brazil won Group C to advance to the knockout round, while Japan were runners-up in Group F. Both squads were undefeated in the 2026 World Cup group stage, with Brazil having 7 points, while the Japanese notched 5 points. These teams last met in Oct. 2025 in which Japan won for the first time in 14 matches versus the Brazilians. Scorer Market – Lautaro Martinez to Score AnytimeLautaro Martinez has scored once in the tournament and registered five goals across Argentina’s last five matches in all competitions.
South Africa vs. Canada
Vinicius Junior has battled inconsistency, while Raphinha’s form has been disrupted by injuries. That places significant responsibility on Joao Pedro, who has impressed at Chelsea, but it remains uncertain whether that will be enough, or even if he’s locked into the XI. Against a hungry and well‑organized Netherlands side, Brazil appear vulnerable, with this matchup favoring the Dutch.
What Chance Do the Co-Hosts Have?
While powerhouse nations like France, Argentina and Spain remain favorites, the expanded format creates more room for upsets, dark horses and unexpected runs that can completely reshape the bracket. For Lionel Messi and company, this is the start of their title defence in earnest. For Cape Verde and manager Rui Aguas, simply reaching this stage has already rewritten what is possible for African football’s smaller nations, and anything further would be a genuine shock to the tournament bracket.
They were the only contender to come through the group stage with a perfect record, and they did it in the toughest group in the draw. Argentina are right behind them, on the opposite side of the bracket. Here is how the leading contenders stack up as the knockouts begin. Explore more of the world’s top international football tournaments with our expert predictions and betting tips for competitions connected to the World Cup.
Track your path to 2026 World Cup glory with The Straits Times’ results simulator
- Here’s the latest odds for the top 10 favourites to win the 2026 World Cup.
- Then again, Harry Kane scored freely across Bundesliga and Champions League this season, at times playing in a deeper role than usual.
- Morocco have never won the World Cup, but they did reach the semi-finals of the 2022 tournament, which represented their best-ever run in the competition.
- Portugal went out to France at the next stage, as Ronaldo ended the tournament without a goal from 23 shots and 3.6 xG – the second-highest tally at the competition.
- These teams last met in Oct. 2025 in which Japan won for the first time in 14 matches versus the Brazilians.
- There are two other potentially pivotal group clashes to circle on your calendar by the time we reach MD3, as France take on Norway in Foxborough on 26 June, while Colombia battle Portugal in Miami a day later.
- Brobbey is expected to continue through the middle for Koeman’s team, with Memphis Depay, Justin Kluivert and Crysencio Summerville set to be kept in reserve.
- Netherlands (3.6%) and Norway (3.5%) rank highest in terms of possible World Cup winners.
- Lionel Scaloni’s men have two major tournament successes in their back pocket since then and can make easy work of this game.
Ivory Coast and Norway face each other at AT&T Stadium in what promises to be one of the most entertaining World Cup last-32 clashes, with 2-2 our predicted outcome. Ivory Coast secured their place in the knockout stages with a convincing 2-0 victory over Curacao, where Nicolas Pepe stole the headlines with a brilliant brace. Argentina will look to move one step closer toward their fourth World Cup trophy when they face Cape Verde in the last 32 of the showpiece tournament. As Argentina look unstoppable at the moment, our prediction firmly points toward a 2-0 home win. La Albiceleste arrive in perfect form with a 100% group-stage record, winning all their group matches and conceding just 0.20 goa… Argentina are expected to win this World Cup 2026 Round of 32 tie comfortably, with Messi in prolific form having scored six goals in the group stage and Lautaro Martinez adding further firepower.
Kylian Mbappe iches closer to Lionel Messi’s World Cup goal record
- Harry Kane shouldn’t be short of service and Tuchel will be buoyed by the fact his captain is coming off a sensational campaign with Bayern Munich that saw him win the European Golden Shoe award.
- Historically, the Netherlands have enjoyed a strong record against African opposition at the World Cup.
- The likes of Vinicius Jr and Raphinha will be looking forward to leaving a mark on a World Cup in a way they haven’t before.
- At age 40, Croatia’s Luka Modrić will be back for a fifth World Cup, assuming he recovers from cheekbone surgery in time.
- Colombia have not conceded in their past two matches and had the better of their goalless draw against Portugal.
- For example, Australia won the World Cup 28 times in our pre-tournament sims and Scotland prevailed on 22 occasions – so fans have permission to dream.
- Spain often have a who’s who of title winners from across Europe, and this summer is no different.
- Winnings paid in cash at normal odds and are topped up to the enhanced price in Free Bet Builder bets.
- History is not on their side in this matchup, as Switzerland arrive with a full-strength side built on midfield physicality and an elite attacking presence in Breel Embolo and Fabian Rieder.
- Mere weeks into Jesse Marsch’s reign, Canada reached the semi-finals on their Copa América debut, losing 2-0 to eventual winners Argentina.
David Raya, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi are Premier League champions and Champions League runners-up. There are eight LaLiga winners from Barcelona – but, tellingly, none from Real Madrid. If you’re after a free-flowing side, stick to the Spains of this world.
The Oranje’s run to the semi-finals of Euro 2024 – losing late on to England – was their best at any tournament since finishing third at the 2014 World Cup. Vinícius has played under five different head coaches since joining Real Madrid, and 149 of his 192 goal involvements for the club came during Ancelotti’s second spell in charge of Los Blancos. Next year, it will have been 24 years since Brazil last lifted the World Cup.
USMNT scores 3 first-half goals in 4-1 win over Paraguay to open 2026 World Cup
This version of Morocco has the tools to be more proactive against France, but that can be a double-edged sword, facing Les Bleus’ phenomenal attack. A host nation with its collective tail up and bleary-eyed fans enduring a 1 a.m. Kickoff back in the UK feels like textbook ingredients for another English tale of World Cup woe. Egypt, Mohamed Salah and all, should have more than enough to do the job here.
However, Brazil’s form has been far from convincing, while Japan’s ability to compete with top sides suggests this could be far more competitive than expected. South Korea vs Bosnia & Herzegovina – Despite overcoming Italy in the qualifying play-offs, this tie could spell the end of Bosnia’s World Cup journey. Argentina’s quest to become just the third nation in World Cup history to successfully defend their title should face no real threat in Group J.
Belgium should control this group, but the remaining positions are harder to predict. Mohamed Salah will be motivated to prove he remains world class as Egypt’s leader, though after a season full of diminishing returns and muscle injuries, it’s a tall ask. If he carries them past Iran and New Zealand, advancement is realistic.
Tap a contender to see its group run and knockout path, then lock in your pick. Get 2–4 premium picks daily with odds averaging 3.05 and our loss replacement guarantee. Official FIFA schedule will confirm exact kick-off times for each match. Build a bracket, make your picks, or just check today’s scores.
Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw on Friday 5 December, the Opta supercomputer has produced its early predictions for this summer’s tournament in North America. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies.
With Messi drawing defensive attention and Julian Alvarez providing the running, Martinez is regularly afforded space inside the area and is one of the most reliable penalty-box finishers in this Argentina squad. He is worth including in any anytime scorer selections at the best available price. The World Cup 2026 knockout stage ruthlessly separates those who have managed a passage through a group from those who can compete at the elite level over 90 minutes.
Free bets are valid 30 days, only deposits with cards, ApplePay, & Pay by Bank are eligible. Morocco, meanwhile, picked up seven points from their three games in Group C to finish second, only behind Brazil on goal difference. Netherlands could meet a Germany or a France in the final eight, and their performances thus far have suggested that a potential challenge for the trophy is possible.
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Now, Green has broken down the 2026 World Cup draw from all sides and released his picks, predictions and futures bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see Green’s 2026 World Cup picks. They also won last summer’s Nations League, getting the better of both Germany and Spain in the semi-finals and finals, with largely the same group of players. Anchored by a veteran Casemiro, who can cap off a trophy-laden career with the holy grail of international football.
Championship Predictions — Who Will Win World Cup 2026?
This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. Luis de la Fuente’s side are arguably the best-equipped team in the tournament because they possess two attributes that are often difficult to marry together. They can dominate possession for long spells, suffocating opponents and conserving energy through control of the ball – but they can also go direct and attack space quickly when the game demands it. They are the reigning European champions too, having beaten England in the final two years ago, and will be looking to add to their only World Cup title from 2010.
Ecuador shocked already-qualified Germany to reach this phase, but expect Javier Aguirre’s men to make it four wins out of four. For better or worse, we’ve had a go at predicting the entire road to the final in New Jersey on July 19. There have also been stirring underdog stories, with minnow Cape Verde qualifying as Group H runners-up behind European champions Spain, and Iran similarly going through the round-robin phase undefeated against the odds. All the tournament favorites have come through the group stage largely unscathed. If Norway advance through the group stage, Haaland’s clinical finishing and aerial ability make him the most likely top scorer. For the complete match-by-match schedule with dates, times, and venues, see our full World Cup 2026 fixtures guide.
Morocco (1.1%) and Ecuador (1.0%) are the other teams with a greater than 1% chance of glory, with Japan (0.9%) and USA just behind. But a stunning defeat to Guatemala, in another shootout, ended Canada’s Gold Cup campaign at the quarter-final stage and brought them crashing down to earth. There will likely be an experienced feel to their squad, led by Fulham striker Raúl Jiménez, who is only eight away from Javier Hernández’s all-time Mexico goal record of 52. Pochettino has had no choice but to experiment – in November, Giovani Reyna’s return to the squad saw him become the 51st player to start a game for the USMNT in 2025. Pochettino’s side did reach the final of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, despite star names including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun and Antonee Robinson missing the tournament.
Behind the top three, a cluster of European nations all carry realistic hopes. England’s golden generation finally has tournament experience after consecutive deep runs. Spain’s young core, led by Lamine Yamal and Pedri, looked devastating en route to Euro 2024. Germany are rebuilding under fresh management and remain ever-dangerous. Portugal will likely have one last dance with a slightly older Cristiano Ronaldo. The Netherlands have the kind of balanced squad that often outperforms its pre-tournament odds.
Switzerland vs. Colombia
Brazil and France sit at the top of most prediction models, and for good reason. Brazil have rebuilt impressively since their disappointing 2022 quarter-final exit, with a generation of attacking talent led by Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, and the teenage prodigy Endrick. France remain a tournament machine under Didier Deschamps’s successor, with Mbappé still in his prime and one of the deepest squads in world football. Either would surprise nobody by lifting the trophy in New Jersey.
The recent form and questions on formation under Mauricio Pochettino for the U.S. raises concern, while Turkiye’s balance and presence of Hakan Calhanoglu give them the slight edge to win the group. Australia and Paraguay are organized enough to earn draws but remain long shots to advance ahead of the two favorites. Bosnia enter confidently after knocking out Italy and looks talented enough to win this group as long as Edin Dzeko can stay on the pitch at 40 years old. The Bosnian legend didn’t miss a minute in the playoffs against Wales and Italy despite injuring his shoulder. Switzerland’s experience and defensive structure should see them through comfortably, as well.
The supercomputer is a bit kinder to Uzbekistan (0.1%) and Jordan (0.1%), but both teams will still be doing well to get out of their groups. While 47 countries won the tournament at least once in our sims overall, for the teams rated 25-48, a successful tournament would realistically constitute emerging from their groups. Morocco, meanwhile, are the highest-rated African team after they were superbly shock semi-finalists in Qatar. Colombia were not even at the last World Cup but are a team to watch out for this time. They were Copa America runners-up on U.S. soil in 2024, only losing the final to Argentina in extra-time, and they also finished third in CONMEBOL qualifying.
Trending Teams
- The World Cup 2026 bracket has handed them what looks on paper like their most straightforward possible knockout assignment, and they enter this match having conceded just once in three competitive fixtures at the tournament.
- Germany failed to impress in their final group match, but with qualification already secured, the result had little significance.
- Still, they should not be overlooked, as Takefusa Kubo’s creativity and their speed on the counter could make this a difficult contest.
- Then, in Germany, Ronaldo broke down in tears after seeing a penalty saved in Portugal’s last-16 tie against Slovenia, which they eventually won on spot-kicks.
- If you’re after a free-flowing side, stick to the Spains of this world.
- Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal should not be discounted, while the three host nations will be desperate to make their mark.
- Panama are given just an 8.9 percent chance of recording their first-ever World Cup victory, while the probability of them earning a maiden World Cup point stands at 12.6 percent.
- Five wins from five across all competitions, with ten goals scored and just one conceded in that run.
- They impressively finished second in South American qualifying and conceded just five goals in 18 matches.
- Brazil have been improving with every match, defeating Scotland and Haiti before sharing the spoils with Morocco.
Cape Verde (0.1%) have qualified and are the second-smallest nation by population (after Iceland in 2018) to achieve the feat. They fared slightly better with our model than the other first-timers Curaçao and Jordan (both 0.04%). If previous World Cups are anything to go by, shocks and surprises should be a given, so all those teams will still be dreaming of a deep run. They must get past Northern Ireland and potentially Wales to make it, with both of those sides hoping to join fellow home nations England and Scotland. Inspirational Croatia captain Luka Modrić is hoping to appear at his fifth World Cup at the age of 40, and no team will want to see Croatia drawn into their group from Pot 2. That previous dry spell ended, of course, in the United States, and Brazil are assigned a 5.6% chance of another stateside triumph.
As for Paraguay, Diego Gomez will miss the match through suspension, having picked up a second yellow card of the tournament against Australia last time out. The White and Reds picked up four points from their three Group D matches to finish third, only behind second-placed Australia on goal difference. Die Mannschaft actually locked horns with Paraguay in the last-16 stage of the 2002 World Cup, recording a 1-0 victory courtesy of a late effort from Oliver Neuville. Germany are four-time world champions, but they were knocked out in the group stage of both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. DFB-Team were not mentioned as one of the serious challengers for the trophy pre-tournament, and they are still regarded as outsiders at this stage, especially as France could be waiting in the last-16 stage of the tournament.
With history on the line, I see France growing complacent, allowing Portugal to seize the moment with a historic 1–0 victory, ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s legendary career with ultimate glory. England’s talent makes them a serious contender, but I’m backing Croatia to finish first based on their recent World Cup success under Luka Modric. England’s game control and defense will be hard to beat, but scoring on bigger stages has always been iffy. Then again, Harry Kane scored freely across Bundesliga and Champions League this season, at times playing in a deeper role than usual.
World Cup: How third-place teams can still advance to the knockout stage
The first 48–team field in World Cup history has been filed down to 32 for the knockout stages. The defending champions won Group J with a perfect record and drew the kinder half of the bracket. Messi is in record-breaking form, and Argentina’s path to the final avoids most of the other heavyweights until the semifinals.
- The 2026 World Cup will mark the end of an era in French football, with Didier Deschamps set to stand down from his role as Les Bleus’ head coach after 14 years at the helm.
- Their continued success on the international stage has carried momentum into this tournament, supported by a young and exciting group of players.
- Netherlands topped Group F with seven points to breeze into the round of 32, while Morocco finished second in Group C behind Brazil, also claiming seven points from three games.
- Luis de la Fuente and his squad of stars will want to change that and with Cape Verde, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia to come in Group H this summer, reaching the knockouts is unlikely to be a problem.
- Six of the teams appearing at the tournament are still to be decided, with four qualifying via the UEFA play-offs and another two via the inter-confederation playoffs.
- The Opta supercomputer gives DR Congo the edge, with the Leopards winning 48.9 percent of its 25,000 pre-match simulations.
- DFB-Team were not mentioned as one of the serious challengers for the trophy pre-tournament, and they are still regarded as outsiders at this stage, especially as France could be waiting in the last-16 stage of the tournament.
- On 5 December, allowing fans of all nations to start plotting their routes to a possible coronation at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
- Sixteen venues across the United States, Canada and Mexico will play host to the biggest-ever edition of the tournament, with the number of teams increasing from 32 and 48 and the tally of games upped from 64 to 104.
- Nine sides emerged from the AFC’s Asian qualification, while New Zealand are the sole representatives for the OFC region and the lowest-ranked team to reach the finals.
Established in the UK — serving a global audience across Africa, Asia, and beyond. Simulate or predict every match of the 48-team tournament — group stage through the final. England will be looking to secure top spot in Group L when they take on already-eliminated Panama in their final group-stage match. As David faces Goliath at MetLife Stadium, we predict a routine 3-0 away win. Panama are playing only for pride after suffering narrow defeats to both Ghana and Croatia.
While Messi inspired his capable but unspectacular team-mates to glory in 2022, Ronaldo arrives in North America with real quality all around him. There’s the PSG clan of Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Ramos and Ballon d’Or third-place Vitinha who are coming into this off the back of a second straight Champions League win. Brilliant Bernardo Silva and the livewire Rafael Leao are in Roberto Martinez’s squad too. What a story it would be if, at 41-years-old, Cristiano Ronaldo matches his arch rival Lionel Messi by helping Portugal to a first-ever World Cup this summer. The Argentina ace’s supporters have been able to play a trump card whenever the debate about the two modern-day icons has been had since Messi’s heroics in Qatar. Portugal are slight favourites according to the Opta supercomputer, winning 51.6 percent of its 25,000 pre-match simulations.
