The 2026 World Cup finals are heating up as teams battle it out for a spot in the last 16 of the tournament.
Football powers England, Argentina and Belgium face tough challenges in the last 32, while smaller nations are hoping for a historic upset.
England, along with the Three Lions, will face the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for the first time in their bid for the title. Argentina are also preparing for a tricky match against Cape Verde, their first World Cup appearance, who have already surprised many with their performance. Belgium will then clash with African powerhouse Senegal.
This tournament has generated a lot of buzz, from player records and team predictions to unexpected stories off the field.
Here’s what we know:
What are your predictions for England vs. DRC?
England will face the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the first time in their history as they aim to reach the last 16.
The Three Lions have limited experience playing against African opponents at the World Cup. In their only previous finals tournament, they defeated Senegal 3-0 in 2022, and also defeated Egypt and Cameroon when they reached the semi-finals in 1990.
Coach Thomas Tuchel’s team has shown some weakness against African teams, drawing with Ghana and losing in a friendly against Senegal, but they still go into this match as clear favorites to win the title.
Opta’s supercomputer is helping England progress, giving them a 73.9% chance of winning within 90 minutes, compared to 11.3% for DRC (14.8% draw). Overall, England have an 82 per cent chance of making it to the last 16, while the Democratic Republic of Congo have an 18 per cent chance of an upset, according to Opta.
What are your predictions for Belgium vs. Senegal?
Belgium and Senegal will meet for the first time in a competitive match on Wednesday in Seattle, Washington in hopes of advancing to the last 16.
Recent World Cup history favors Belgium, who are ranked 9th in the FIFA World Rankings, while Senegal are 15th.
The Red Devils have lost only one of their six matches against African opponents in this tournament. That loss was against Morocco in the 2022 group stage. Senegal, on the other hand, have lost each of the past four World Cup matches they played against European nations, with three wins and one draw in the first five.
Opta’s supercomputer gives Belgium a 45.6% chance of winning within 90 minutes from 25,000 simulations. Senegal has a 27% chance of winning and a 27.4% chance of a draw.
What are your predictions for USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina?
This will be the fourth time the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina have played against each other, but the last three meetings were friendlies from 2013 to 2021, with the United States remaining undefeated with two wins and one draw.
Although the U.S. has the overall advantage in this matchup, America’s record against European opponents at the World Cup has been less than encouraging. They have won only one of their last 21 matches against UEFA member countries, and that only came against Portugal in 2002.
Nevertheless, Opta’s supercomputer calculates the co-host as the clear favorite. Across 25,000 simulations, the United States won in 67.5 percent of cases and Bosnia won in 14.3 percent. 18.3% of simulations resulted in a tie, and the U.S. had a 76.6% chance of making it to the last 16 no matter what.
Which teams made it to the Round of 16 and which teams were eliminated?
The six-day half of the Round of 32 is over and seven teams have already qualified for the Round of 16.
Canada (beat South Africa 1-0) Brazil (beat Japan 2-1) Paraguay (beat Germany on penalties after a 1-1 draw) 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)
Teams eliminated:
South Africa Japan Germany Netherlands Ivory Coast Sweden Ecuador
What else is going on?
Scaloni warns Argentina not to underestimate Cape Verde
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has warned his players not to underestimate Cape Verde ahead of their World Cup round of 32 encounter.
The defending champions advanced to the finals after a dominant performance in the group stage, winning all three games against Algeria, Austria and Jordan, with Lionel Messi scoring six goals.
Cape Verde held Spain to a goalless draw and drew 2-2 with Uruguay, marking a strong performance in their first World Cup appearance.
“There’s no point sitting here and saying they’re not a formidable opponent, because that would be a lie,” Scaloni told reporters. “Maybe not for many people, but I can guarantee you they are a good team and will make things difficult for us.”
Argentina now knows that if they advance, they will be able to avoid facing the former world champions until the semi-finals in the final tournament.
Nevertheless, the players echoed the coach’s cautious tone. Winger Giuliano Simeone said: “We are always focused on ourselves. It’s difficult against any opponent.” “We must try to do the most damage possible with the best weapons.”
Cape Verde president backs team to shock Argentina
Cape Verdean President José María Neves believes his team can pull off a big upset against the reigning champions in their Round of 32 encounter.
The small West African island nation reached the finals of the World Cup for the first time in its history after an impressive group game that culminated with the team’s victory at the expense of Saudi Arabia.
Coach Neves told the BBC that he was confident that Cape Verde would beat Argentina. “I think Cape Verde can beat Argentina 1-0. We are playing to win,” he said.
“If you have low expectations for a team and the team has a desire to win, it can be done,” he said.
“Small countries like Cape Verde should always try to do that in order to permanently surprise people. They have a 100 percent chance of beating Argentina.”
He added that the match between Messi and the world champion is an opportunity for Cape Verde to create another historic moment for the country.
Mexico achieves “El Quinto Partido”
Mexico’s best-of-32 match was delayed by an hour due to inclement weather, but once the match started, they dominated from the start and overwhelmed Ecuador with one attack after another.
Julian Quinones opened the scoring with a powerful strike and Raul Jimenez scored the second goal in Mexico City on Tuesday as the hosts controlled the game and kept Ecuador at bay.
With the 2-0 result, Mexico finally achieved the “greatest victory” and advanced to the fifth game of the World Cup for the first time since they last hosted the World Cup in 1986. Mexico is currently undefeated in 10 World Cup matches played at Azteca Stadium, also known as Mexico City Stadium, during the 2026 World Cup and will face either England or the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the quarter-finals.
Mbappé breaks yet another record, France advances to finals tournament
Kylian Mbappé and Didier Deschamps made history as France beat Sweden 3-0 on Tuesday to book their place in the round of 16.
Mbappe scored twice for East Rutherford, New Jersey, taking his tally to 10 points in a World Cup finals tournament, the most ever. His goal moved him level with Messi in the Golden Boot race with six goals.
The France captain has now scored 18 goals at the World Cup, one goal behind Messi’s all-time record.
Deschamps also set the record for most World Cup wins by a manager with 18 wins. France will play Paraguay in their next match on Saturday.
Overseas fans’ reactions to US tipping culture
Travelers who came to the United States for the World Cup said that disappointing expectations posed an unexpected challenge during their stay. Supporters in countries such as the UK, Australia and Japan expressed surprise at being asked to add tips to everyday purchases, even for minor items such as drinks and snacks.
Some fans say the added cost of tips makes it even more difficult to budget for travel, which is already expensive. Many people are willing to follow U.S. customs, but admit they don’t know when to expect a tip and how much is considered appropriate. Others argued that employers should take more responsibility for paying workers a fair wage, rather than passing the burden on to customers.
Koeman resigns as Netherlands national team coach
Ronald Koeman has resigned as coach of the Netherlands national team following his team’s exit from the World Cup. His resignation comes shortly after the Dutch player became the target of racist abuse online after missing a penalty against Morocco on Monday.
After a 1-1 draw in Monterrey, Mexico, the Netherlands lost in the penalty shootout and were eliminated from the round of 32. The Royal Netherlands Football Association said Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crisencio Somerville failed to take the spot-kick and were later targeted by discriminatory and hateful messages on social media.
Koeman, 63, has confirmed he is stepping down from his role as national team manager for the second time, hinting that this could spell the end of his coaching career. Looking back on his time as a footballer, he is proud of his journey so far, but admits it is difficult to accept the disappointment of the World Cup.
Ecuador sues FIFA
Ecuador’s Football Federation has filed a complaint with FIFA regarding an “off-field incident” that occurred before Ecuador’s World Cup round of 32 match against Mexico.
The charges came after a video circulated showing Mexican supporters gathering outside the Ecuadorian team hotel hours before the final at Azteca Stadium on Tuesday night. Footage showed fans creating a raucous atmosphere with music, chants, dancing, car horns, revving engines and fireworks.
Such pre-match intimidation is common in soccer, particularly in Latin America, where rival supporters often attempt to sabotage their opponents before important matches. Similar tactics are being used in major competitions across Europe, including the English Premier League.
Ghanaian spiritualist predicts shock victory for Cape Verde
A traditional Ghanaian spiritual figure has captured the world’s attention by predicting that Cape Verde, making their first appearance at the World Cup, will pull off a stunning upset against defending champions Argentina in the last-32 clash.
Nana Kwaku Bong-sam, who calls himself a witch doctor, made a bold claim before the knockout stage match.
Bong Sam previously attracted international attention when he claimed he had cursed England captain Harry Kane before the group stage match between Ghana and England. Some supporters have suggested a link between this result and Bong Sam’s comments, as Kane was unable to find the back of the net in the match. However, there is no evidence to confirm that supernatural influences played any role in the results.
