The final day of the World Cup’s round of 32 will be played on Friday, but the remaining three spots for the round of 16 have yet to be decided.
In a close match on the day, Australia will take on Egypt, followed by defending champions Argentina, who will play Cape Verde in their first World Cup appearance. Colombia will play against Ghana in the final match of the day.
Spain, Portugal and Switzerland qualified for the round of 16 on Thursday, leaving three teams left to advance to the finals.
Here’s what we know:
What is the schedule for Friday?
Australia vs. Egypt (1pm/6pm GMT) at Dallas Stadium. Argentina vs. Cape Verde (6pm/10pm GMT) at Miami Stadium, Florida. Colombia vs. Ghana (Saturday 8:30 p.m./1:30 p.m. ET) at Kansas City Stadium, Missouri.
What are your predictions for Australia vs Egypt?
Australia and Egypt have only met twice at senior level, with one win each. The Socceroos won their first meeting in the 1987 Presidents Cup, which ended in a goalless draw, 4-3 on penalties, and Egypt won 3-0 in a friendly in 2010.
The Opta supercomputer is expected to have strong competition. In 25,000 pre-match simulations, Egypt had a slight advantage with a 38.6 percent win compared to Australia’s 30.4 percent.
The odds of a draw after 90 minutes were about the same, occurring in 31% of simulations.
This makes it the closest round of 32, with Egypt having a 54 per cent chance of progressing to the next round, just ahead of Australia’s 46 per cent.
What are your predictions for Argentina vs. Cape Verde?
This will be the first meeting between Argentina and Cape Verde. The defending champions have had an excellent record against African opponents at the World Cup, winning each of their last seven matches since losing 1-0 to Cameroon in the opening round of the 1990 tournament.
Cape Verde is also making history. They are the third countries to face the reigning World Cup champions in the tournament’s opening round, following Norway vs. Italy in 1938 and Ghana vs. Brazil in 2006.
The Opta supercomputer makes Argentina the clear favorite to win. Based on 25,000 pre-match simulations, Lionel Scaloni’s side won 81.0% of the time in regular time.
Cape Verde only had a 6.8 percent chance of winning an upset, and 12.3 percent of simulations ended in a tie after 90 minutes.
What are your predictions for Colombia vs Ghana?
This will be the first meeting between Colombia and Ghana, with a place in the Round of 16 on the line.
Colombia have enjoyed recent success against African opponents at the World Cup, winning each of their last four matches, including a 1-0 win over the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the group stage of the tournament. What is noteworthy is that all four wins were by one goal difference.
Meanwhile, Ghana is aiming for their first World Cup victory against a South American opponent. The Black Stars have lost all three of their previous tournaments, losing to Brazil in 2006 and Uruguay in 2022.
With its Opta supercomputer, Colombia is the clear favorite to win. Through 25,000 pre-game simulations, coach Nestor Lorenzo’s side won 64.8 percent of the time in regular time.
Ghana had a 13.8% chance of winning, while 21.4% of simulations ended in a draw after 90 minutes.
Historically, neither country has spent much time in the World Cup finals.
Which teams made it to the Round of 16 and which teams were eliminated?
Four of the six days of the Round of 32 have concluded and 12 teams have qualified for the Round of 16.
Canada (beat South Africa 1-0) Brazil (beat Japan 2-1) Paraguay (beat Germany after a 1-1 draw on penalties) Morocco (beat Netherlands on penalties after a 1-1 draw) Norway (beat Cote d’Ivoire 2-1) France (beat Sweden 3-0) Mexico (beat Ecuador 2-0) England (beat Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1) USA (beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0) Spain (beat Austria 3-0) Portugal (beat Croatia 2-1) Switzerland (beat Algeria 2-0)
Teams eliminated so far:
South Africa Japan Germany Netherlands Ivory Coast Sweden Ecuador Democratic Republic of Congo Bosnia and Herzegovina Austria Croatia Algeria
What is the schedule for the Round of 16?Saturday, July 4th
Canada vs. Morocco: 17:00 GMT Paraguay vs. France: 21:00 GMT
Sunday, July 5th
Brazil vs. Norway: 20:00 GMT Mexico vs. England: 02:00 GMT (Monday 6 July)
Monday, July 6th
Portugal vs. Spain: 22:00 GMT USA vs. Belgium: 03:00 GMT (Tuesday, July 7)
Tuesday, July 7th
Argentina vs Cape Verde winner vs Australia vs Egypt winner: 16:00 GMT Switzerland vs Colombia vs Ghana winner: 23:00 GMT
What else is going on?
Ronaldo makes knockout history
Cristiano Ronaldo made World Cup history on Thursday, scoring his first goal in the finals as Portugal defeated Croatia 2-1 to advance to the round of 16 and face Spain.
The 41-year-old converted a penalty in the 68th minute, becoming the oldest player to score in a World Cup final. It was also his first goal in a final tournament after six World Cup appearances.
After Ivan Perisic gave Croatia the lead early in the second half, substitute Gonzalo Ramos scored a come-from-behind goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time to give the hosts the winning goal.
Croatia appeared to have forced extra time when Josko Gvardiol found the back of the net in the 103rd minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review as the ball deflected off to Igor Matanovic during the build-up.
African teams face early elimination
Africa has sent a record nine teams to the World Cup finals, but the round of 32 has so far proven unforgiving. Senegal, South Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast and Algeria were all eliminated, leaving Morocco as the only CAF representative to advance to the Round of 16.
I-Shi-Shi Mexico?
Mexico’s dramatic run to the round of 16 sparked a wave of belief among their supporters, who embraced the simple phrase: “¿Y si si?” (“What if…yes?”).
The slogan became the unofficial rallying cry of El Tri’s World Cup campaign, capturing the optimism of a fan base daring to imagine what once seemed impossible: Mexico hosting the World Cup for the first time.
As the World Cup approaches, TikTok users and soccer supporters have adopted it as a symbol of hope, pairing it with emotional highlights of Mexico’s soccer history. Many videos featured Juan Gabriel’s iconic 1990 performance of “Hasta que te conochi” at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. This performance was a cultural milestone representing the idea that walls can be broken down. For many fans, the message is simple. If the impossible has ever happened, why can’t Mexico win its first World Cup?
England fears Aztec atmosphere
England survived a tense 2-1 win against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but the challenge against Mexico will be very different. Tested by their stubborn defense, the Three Lions must contend with El Tri’s attack and the unique environment of Estadio Azteca, which is located 2,240 meters (7,349 feet) above sea level.
England captain Harry Kane acknowledged the challenges ahead. “When it comes to knockout football, the pressure is more and the margins are smaller,” he said. “This game and the next one are difficult for various reasons, but we have to accumulate wins at this stage of the tournament.”
At high altitudes, the air is thinner, oxygen levels are lower, and the ball moves faster, which increases fatigue and makes breathing difficult. If Atlanta tested England’s composure, Mexico City could test their patience.
