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Portugal, Brazil and Germany Pose Threat

The teams that can solve different tactical puzzles, manage their energy levels and thrive in hostile conditions usually find themselves going deepest into the competition. If you’re after a free-flowing side, stick to the Spains of this world. Led by Carlo Ancelotti, who gets over the line in knockout games by placing importance on defensive shape but allowing individual quality to shine through.

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. Norway will be the team nobody wishes to draw from Pot 3, having steamrolled their way through the UEFA qualifiers with a perfect eight wins and 37 goals – the most of any team. Ancelotti was only in charge for the final five games of their campaign, but less than eight months into his reign, he has already overseen surprise defeats to Bolivia and Japan, as well as poor draws with Ecuador and Tunisia.

World Cup 2026 predictions: Winner, golden boot, breakout star and more

With nations playing so infrequently, head-to-head results can have a much larger impact than it does for club teams. It can be important to look at historical matchups like England vs Germany for example, and where the results over the years may indicate which team might win the upcoming game. Perhaps none has had more recent success on the international stage as France’s Didier Deschamps. He’s guided Les Bleus to two consecutive finals in FIFA’s quadrennial tournament, winning it all in 2018 and coming up heartbreakingly short four years ago in a penalty-shootout loss to Argentina.

Five wins from five across all competitions, with ten goals scored and just one conceded in that run. Three of those victories came in competitive World Cup fixtures against varied opposition, and the only goal shipped was against Jordan in a dead-rubber group finale. Argentina are in clinical form and showing no signs of complacency heading into the knockout rounds.

Brazil vs. Japan

Turkey vs Best 3rd place Group B/E/F/I/J – Despite their lengthy absence from football’s biggest stage, the Crescent-Stars might return with a bang. Expectations are sky-high in Mauricio Pochettino’s corner, yet the United States’ recent World Cup performances cannot inspire confidence, even though they’ve reached the knockouts in three of the last four tournaments. Despite an underwhelming qualifying campaign, Carlo Ancelotti’s charges remain hot favourites to advance as group winners, with the Atlas Lions expected to settle for a runner-up finish. Before bowing out in the group stages four years ago in Qatar, Mexico had reached the knockout phase at seven consecutive World Cups. With Javier Aguirre at the helm now, they look likely to achieve that feat again. Appearing at their first World Cup since 1998, the Tartan Army are given a 0.2% chance of lifting the trophy, level with the likes of South Africa, Australia, Iran and Tunisia.

But if France make the quarter-finals (they did so in 47.9% of sims), they then start to fare increasingly better in our projections. Ultimately, they made the final 21.3% of the time and emerged as the second-likeliest victors. According to the Opta supercomputer, there are six other teams who should go into the tournament with strong hopes of going all the way. If a team wants to win the World Cup this summer, they will likely have to overcome a formidable obstacle in Spain.

• An each way bet could be the way to go with African nations that you think have a chance, with Morocco starting with odds of 100/1 or better to win the World Cup before the tournament begins.
• France and Argentina won their groups as forecast, Brazil and Germany topped theirs, and dark horses Norway, Morocco and Colombia all advanced.
• Argentina vs United States – The US crashed out at this juncture in the last tournament staged on their soil, and history looks set to repeat itself against the reigning champions.
• His squad have a 22.1% hope of making the last four, at which stage few would want to face them.
• Scotland could pose a threat with players like Scott McTominay and John McGinn, but they’re still at a disadvantage against better teams.
• 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.
• They impressively finished second in South American qualifying and conceded just five goals in 18 matches.
• 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.
• A place in the World Cup last 16 will be at stake when Switzerland and Algeria meet in what promises to be a tightly contested knockout clash.
• With the home crowd firmly behind them, El Tri will be eager to extend their perfect run.
• Place a max £1 bet on “Over 0.5 Goals” in the Over/Under Goals market in England vs DR Congo World Cup match on Wednesday, 1st July.
• At the former tournament, Ronaldo was dropped for a last-16 tie against Switzerland after a series of ineffective displays, and his replacement Gonçalo Ramos scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 win.

Tyreek Hill grinding his way back: Five best 2026 landing spots for Cheetah

• There are eight LaLiga winners from Barcelona — but, tellingly, none from Real Madrid.
• South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo has resigned following his side’s group-stage elimination from the World Cup, after coming under heavy criticism from President Lee Jae-myung.
• Either would surprise nobody by lifting the trophy in New Jersey.
• France vs Spain – Only a handful of teams can stop Les Bleus from becoming the first team in World Cup history to reach three consecutive finals.
• Australia progressed from the group stage thanks to a disciplined 0-0 draw with Paraguay, where they limited their opponents to just 0.30 expected goals against (xGA).
• But they won that match by a statement 6-0 scoreline, with Nick Woltemade, Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sané among the goals.
• David Raya, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi are Premier League champions and Champions League runners-up.
• The Socceroos are more likely than not to progress to the knockouts (59.2%) and have a 26.3% chance of reaching the last 16 to match their best-ever performance.
• La Roja cruised through the group stage without conceding a single goal, underlining their status as genuine title contenders.
• But Memphis Depay remains a talisman for his nation, becoming their all-time leading scorer when he netted his 51st international goal in September.
• Brazil and France sit at the top of most prediction models, and for good reason.
• Both sides arrived at this summer’s tournament expecting to reach the later stages and the supercomputer does not predict any early obstacles.
• Neymar is no longer the first name on the team sheet but whatever squad the now 34-year-old is part of will still be lifted by his presence.

However, SportsLine soccer expert Matt Severance is looking for a little added security by playing Mexico (tie no bet) for a -215 payout. This involves two teams from CONCACAF and one team from the AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL and OFC. The two highest-ranked teams will go directly into the finals, and the four lowest-ranked nations will meet in bracket semi-finals, with the winners of the two bracket finals reaching the FIFA World Cup 26.

Jordan vs Argentina Prediction

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. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to feature 48 nations and the first hosted by three countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The expanded format introduces 12 groups and a Round of 32 knockout stage, making it the biggest World Cup in history with 104 total matches played across 16 iconic venues. DR Congo head into their final Group K match against Uzbekistan knowing that a win should be enough to secure a place in the World Cup knockout stages.

Final

European opponents tend to fill the United States with dread, but Bosnia has faded down the stretch in all of their matches, even the win over Qatar. Both of these teams have enjoyed free-scoring group-stage outingsm but if Sweden enter a 90-minute shootout with Kylian Mbappe and company, they are likely to be outgunned. Morocco asked plenty of questions of Brazil during their first game and Japan can present a similar sort of technically proficient, front-footed challenge. But this is knockout soccer, and Carlo Ancelotti will find a way. 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.

Ronaldo to go out in style by finally getting his hands on the World Cup

Switzerland pipped Canada to win Group B. Colombia won Group K ahead of Portugal, the only group favorite not to finish top. Croatia recovered to take second in England’s group, pushing Ghana to a third-place spot. The top two in each advanced automatically, joined by the eight best third-placed teams. The group stage is finished and the Round of 32 began today with South Africa vs Canada in Los Angeles.

And of course, there are also six teams still to be decided in March’s play-offs. There is currently a combined 3.7% chance of any of those sides going all the way, with Italy surely the most likely candidates if they can end their World Cup exile. Croatia are another team whose best days may be behind them but can never be ruled out.

FIFA World Cup: Round of 32 schedule, predictions and latest news

Neymar is no longer the first name on the team sheet but whatever squad the now 34-year-old is part of will still be lifted by his presence. The trend continues a shift away from the traditional black-and-white football boot, following the colourful designs that first gained popularity at the 1998 World Cup. 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.

A complete Python pipeline for predicting match outcomes, generatingexpected goals, and running Monte Carlo tournament simulations.Built for YouTube creators who want AI-powered soccer analysis. 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.

One World Cup player to watch from each of the five favourite teams

Rui Aguas guided his side to three draws in Group H against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, which proved enough to advance, making them one of the surprise packages of the tournament. Their organised defensive shape has been the foundation throughout, keeping clean sheets against Spain and Saudi Arabia and conceding only twice across three games. However, the step up to face Argentina in a knockout tie is of a different magnitude entirely.

• With more nations, an added knockout round, and third-place teams advancing, predicting the full tournament path is more complex, and more intriguing, than ever.
• Spain’s track record in major international competitions gives them the clear edge in this scenario.
• With Mbappe in his prime, their knockout ceiling is the highest of any contender.
• Uzbekistan came out on top in 26.8 percent of simulations, while the draw was rated at 24.3 percent, leaving the Central Asian side with an outside chance of reaching the Round of 32.
• The favoured teams, however, are France and Spain, with England deemed to have a strong chance as well.
• Cape Verde (0.1%) have qualified and are the second-smallest nation by population (after Iceland in 2018) to achieve the feat.
• Below, you’ll find a full round-by-round projection, blending safe picks with calculated risks to map out how the 2026 World Cup could unfold.
• A total of 18 spots are earnt for these three different qualification processes in Asia (AFC), Africa (CAF) and Oceania (OFC).
• Debutants Cape Verde finished second in Group H ahead of two-time champions Uruguay, who were eliminated.

Germany and Paraguay meet in the knockout stage having faced each other only twice before. The Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup is upon us, and there are some brilliant games coming up in the first knockout round at the tournament. 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. At Juve FC, Luca covers match analysis, squad news, and the longer threads that run through a Juventus season.

World Cup Golden Boot Odds: Full Player List

With 48 teams in 12 groups of 4, and a new Round of 32 stage, the path to the final is longer than ever. Eight knockout rounds for the eventual winners, compared to seven previously. This favours nations with squad depth and the ability to rotate.

Furthermore, it can simply lead to a drop in motivation levels, especially if they face a team needing to win to earn a place in the World Cup Finals. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any intriguing games in the group stage. Here are 10 pivotal matchups you’ll see in group play before 32 teams move on to the knockout rounds. Last time out in 2022, Holland reached the quarter-finals, and a win over Morocco would see them secure a spot in the round of 16 against South Africa and Canada, opening up a route into the final eight of the tournament. Netherlands have reached the most World Cup finals without ever lifting the trophy (three), while Norway are flying having steamrolled their way through the UEFA qualifiers with 37 goals – the most of any team.

With one of the most dramatic club seasons in recent memory only just behind us, the stakes are about to get even higher, with the biggest prize in football up for grabs at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 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. Ghana cannot be overlooked, as Antoine Semenyo provides genuine danger, but I expect the European sides to control this group with Ghana likely finishing as one of the best third-place teams.

At this price the match result offers no value in isolation, so the play is to combine it with a goals line. Elo ratings + XGBoost trained on 50,000+ international matches. The 2026 World Cup will be the broadest, most competitive, and most logistically complex tournament ever staged. Picking a winner is harder than it has ever been, and that’s precisely what makes the build-up so compelling. Whatever your predictions, the only certainty is that we’ll all be surprised by something. Spain is backed to make light work of Austria, as is England in its meeting with DR Congo.

Belgium vs Senegal Preview: Predicted Lineups, Team News & Tactical Analysis 2026 World Cup Round of 32

They are given a 47.8% chance of topping Group A, which also contains South Korea and Czechia. We have covered the seven teams who are most likely to win the tournament, but there are also a few other potential winners. Ancelotti is armed with attacking talent, having opted to select record goalscorer Neymar in addition to stars like Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha and Matheus Cunha. His squad have a 22.1% hope of making the last four, at which stage few would want to face them. Only one other nation – the outright favorites Spain – are likelier to win their pool than the reigning champions, with a favourable Group J draw pitting them against Austria, Algeria and Jordan.

World Cup Semifinal Predictions: Our Picks

The Opta supercomputer makes Germany the clear favourites to progress. Brazil have dominated this fixture over the years, winning 11 of their 14 previous meetings with Japan and losing only once. If you’re looking for a simple way to watch the World Cup in English on Fox and in Spanish on Telemundo, Xfinity makes it easy to follow the World Cup and stay connected to global soccer year‑round.

The first U.S. game is the following day, as the Americans will host Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Fresh off a dominant qualifying cycle, England enter the tournament as one of the top favourites to take home the most prestigious international title. Gustavo Alfaro’s team will enter this match off the back of a goalless draw with Australia, while their one success this summer was a 1-0 victory over Turkey. Germany were impressive in their opening two matches of the 2026 World Cup against Curacao and Ivory Coast, scoring nine times in two successes, and those six points saw them secure a spot in the round of 32 with a game to spare. Germany will take on Paraguay in the last-32 stage of the 2026 World Cup on Monday, with the pair battling to reach the final 16 of the tournament.

Croatia rank just above co-hosts USA and place 15th overall in terms of potential winners with a 1.6% chance. The Opta supercomputer is reasonably positive about the chances of the three co-host nations, suggesting all of them are likely to produce solid – albeit not necessarily spectacular – tournaments. Erling Haaland struck 16 times in just eight games, matching Robert Lewandowski’s 2018 record for the most prolific UEFA World Cup qualification campaign. They have topped their first-round pool in every World Cup since 1982 and have a 60.4% chance of winning Group C. Of course, they were famously crowned world world cup qualifiers 2026 champions in South Africa – but that 2010 success also represents the only time they have reached the semi-finals from their last 14 participations. But Spain’s quality is highlighted by being the only team rated as more likely than not to reach the quarter-finals, which they did 52.1% of the time.

At the former tournament, Ronaldo was dropped for a last-16 tie against Switzerland after a series of ineffective displays, and his replacement Gonçalo Ramos scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 win. Mbappé is closing in on Olivier Giroud’s mark of 57 goals for France, having netted 55 times in his 93 caps. These teams met in the last 16 in Qatar and Argentina had to endure some nervy moments. Lionel Scaloni’s men have two major tournament successes in their back pocket since then and can make easy work of this game. You can get daily World Cup 2026 match tips and predictions right here on 1960Tips.

• This change significantly alters both the group stage and the knockout bracket.
• Only a penalty shootout denied them a bronze medal, as they lost to Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay in the third-place play-off.
• 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.
• Argentina are the closest challenger and sit on the opposite half of the bracket, setting up a possible repeat of the 2022 final.
• The midfield trio of Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul and Enzo Fernandez has functioned well throughout the group stage, and Scaloni has few, if any, selection headaches at this stage of the tournament.
• Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, now teammates at Napoli, and Thibaut Courtois will all feature at a fourth edition of the World Cup – no player has ever represented Belgium at more (Enzo Scifo also four).
• 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.
• Looking beyond this match, Germany have a 78.6 percent chance of reaching the round of 16 and a 4.4 percent probability of winning the World Cup.

Fresh match predictions, betting tips, and analysis updated every day throughout the tournament. Here is each team’s probability of winning the World Cup, and advancing to each stage of the knockout round, using an old-school, FiveThirtyEight heatmap format. France’s flawless group stage made them the favorite, Argentina drew the kinder half of the bracket, Norway are the dark horse, and Messi leads the Golden Boot race as the competition’s all-time top scorer.

Germany vs. Paraguay

Curaçao are the smallest nation by both area and population to ever get this far and following their progress is one of many fascinating subplots to look out for in a World Cup that is not to be missed. New Zealand, meanwhile, have a 47.8% hope of finding a way out of Group G. That’s another tight pool, as Belgium are favourites, but Egypt and Iran are also expected to compete. Before a ball has been kicked, Scotland’s likeliest result is seen as elimination in the round of 32.

The Opta supercomputer gives DR Congo the edge, with the Leopards winning 48.9 percent of its 25,000 pre-match simulations. Across 25,000 pre-match simulations, Croatia won 56.3 percent of the time. Ghana were victorious in 17.6 percent of simulations, while the draw was rated at 26.2 percent.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup features 48 teams and they are split into 12 different groups, with winners, runners up, and even some third placed teams qualifying into the knockout rounds of the Finals. The 2026 World Cup will be the first with 48 teams in the field, meaning that 48 different nations will be bringing their traditions and culture to the tournament. A key piece of that culture is the teams’ nicknames — the names that the fans know them by. Here’s how to watch all 104 World Cup matches for free, and here’s a channel guide for the group stage games.

The group-stage achievements are genuine, but their attacking output of two goals in three competitive matches underlines the challenge ahead. Meanwhile, European soccer insider Martin Green has also revealed picks for Ivory Coast vs. Norway and Sweden vs. France. He’s backing Norway to win behind star striker Erling Haaland and also has France winning comfortably against a European rival. The over/under for total goals scored in France vs. Sweden is 3.5. Before locking in your 2026 World Cup picks and other World Cup bets on betting sites like FanDuel, be sure to check out top picks from the team of experts at SportsLine. During World Cup qualification, you may notice that certain teams have already qualified for the main tournament which may mean that they use some squad players or experiment with their lineup.

Most FIFA World Cup Goals: The Top Scorers

• Below you’ll find our expert tips for the World Cup across the most popular football betting markets, including Match Result, Both Teams to Score (BTTS), Over/Under 2.5 Goals, Total Goals, and Correct Score.
• Mbappé is closing in on Olivier Giroud’s mark of 57 goals for France, having netted 55 times in his 93 caps.
• 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.
• With a 14.1% chance, France are the supercomputer’s second favourites, just behind Spain, who beat them 5-4 in the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League in June.
• Brazil and Japan match up in a Round of 32 contest in the World Cup 2026 on Monday.
• However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any intriguing games in the group stage.
• Similarly, during the tournament you may need to keep up with suspensions, with players potentially missing matches due to an accumulation of yellow cards or a red card.
• Even if Brazil have improved as expected under Ancelotti, they are a rung below their great foes at present.
• 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.
• The final is on July 19, 2026 at New York New Jersey Stadium, also known as MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which holds about 82,500 fans.
• Like Messi, Ronaldo will appear at a record-breaking sixth edition of the World Cup, but of his eight goals in 22 games at the tournament, three have been penalties and none have come in the knockout stages.
• Across 25,000 pre-match simulations, Croatia won 56.3 percent of the time.
• They made it out of their group two-thirds of the time (66.1%), and a last-16 berth is a realistic objective, as this was achieved at a rate of 24.4%.
• 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.
• Picking a winner is harder than it has ever been, and that’s precisely what makes the build-up so compelling.

Portugal, who arrive in the US, Canada and Mexico ranked fifth in the world and fourth favourites for the tournament, are in a favourable-looking Group K alongside the likes of Colombia, DR Congo and Uzbekistan. That flexibility feels particularly important in a World Cup likely to be played in extreme temperatures. Since Spain’s victory in South Africa, La Roja have not made it past the round of 16, exiting at that stage in the last two editions. 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.

Messi is in record-breaking form, and Argentina’s path to the final avoids most of the other heavyweights until the semifinals. 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.

• Debutants Uzbekistan are seen as having a slightly better chance of impressing than the other new nations, as they have a 0.2% chance of going all the way.
• Brazil have dominated this fixture over the years, winning 11 of their 14 previous meetings with Japan and losing only once.
• Cape Verde are a 19/1 shot to cause one of the tournament’s great upsets.
• 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.
• Looking ahead all the way to the final, two teams stand out from the crowd.
• Mere weeks into Jesse Marsch’s reign, Canada reached the semi-finals on their Copa América debut, losing 2-0 to eventual winners Argentina.
• Tuchel’s task is simple – get international football’s nearly men over the line.
• Argentina head into this tie with a fully fit and settled squad.
• Norway, Morocco, Colombia and Japan are the dark horses, and all four reached the Round of 32.

Both sides arrived at this summer’s tournament expecting to reach the later stages and the supercomputer does not predict any early obstacles. 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. France will naturally sit near the top of most betting markets but they are easier to oppose than the odds suggest.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Betting on the World Cup

There should be plenty of service for Harry Kane, who is Europe’s most in-form striker, netting 24 goals in 20 matches for Bayern Munich since the start of the season in August. But there is a competitive race for the positions behind the England skipper after Tuchel suggested Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden could not both start, while Cole Palmer’s season has barely got going due to injuries. Messi (13) is one goal ahead of Mbappé, who will surely take possession of the record eventually. But the prospect of two icons duelling to end the tournament in the lead should be absorbing viewing.

With William Pacho and Moises Caicedo forming the spine of the team, they have the foundations required to frustrate even the elite nations. They conceded just eight goals across their last 16 World Cup qualifying matches, shutting out both Brazil and Argentina along the way. Pink boots have also become one of the biggest trends at the tournament. There are quite often, and unfortunately, major injuries that rule out certain players from the World Cup Finals, much to the devastation of the players themselves and their nations. This can impact a team’s chances heavily, especially if it is a top goalscorer or stalwart defender that is essential to the way the nation plays.

Deschamps’ reign has comprised 175 games, so if they reach the first knockout round, he will have overseen 100 games more than France’s next-longest serving boss (Raymond Domenech, 79). Yamal created the most chances at the tournament, with 19, while only teammate Nico Williams (2.1) had more expected assists (xA) than his 2.0. 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. On 5 December, allowing fans of all nations to start plotting their routes to a possible coronation at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.

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. The USMNT appointed Pochettino after of a humiliating group-stage exit as Copa América hosts last year, and things did not immediately improve as the Argentine lost five of his first 10 matches at the helm. France became the sixth team to win the World Cup as hosts in 1998, but no side has accomplished the feat since then. One recurring issue in recent years has been their lack of a true centre-forward.

Thomas Tuchel’s England among favourites, but Lionel Messi’s Argentina, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, France, Spain, Brazil and more in the mix; Our writers make their predictions… Both sides are still chasing a place in the knockout stage, with DR Congo also seeking their first-ever World Cup victory after drawing with Portugal and narrowly losing to Colombia. So, it’s very important to keep up with any injury setbacks for players, or checking whether players will return in time to feature at the tournament.

Messi also led all players in Qatar for shots (32), chances created from open play (17) and fouls won (22), becoming the second player to top all three metrics at a single World Cup. Maradona in 1986 (30 shots, 19 open-play chances created, 53 fouls won). Southgate’s England teams were also solid at the back but rarely free-flowing.

Brazil won 57.3 percent of the 25,000 pre-match simulations, while Japan were victorious in 19.7 percent. The remaining 23.0 percent of simulations ended level after 90 minutes, meaning the tie would be decided in extra time or a penalty shootout. Below are all of the confirmed matches for the Round of 32, with the schedule for when they are played and a prediction on each game. Before locking in any Brazil vs. Japan picks or World Cup 2026 predictions, you need to see what proven soccer expert Jon Eimer has to say. The most telling duel of this fixture will be Cape Verde’s defensive block against Argentina’s movement in the final third. Messi has scored six goals in three World Cup 2026 group matches, meaning Cape Verde’s centre-backs Logan Costa and Roberto Lopes must track him constantly, which in turn creates space for Martinez and Alvarez to exploit.

The USA enter a home tournament with their strongest squad in a generation, headlined by Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, and Yunus Musah. While outright victory may be a stretch, a deep run by either CONCACAF nation feels plausible. They are robust, organised, physically powerful and extremely difficult to break down.

All 12 Group Stage Predictions

Few nations in football history have possessed such an embarrassment of attacking riches. Yet there remains a nagging doubt over whether the France manager can truly maximise what he has at his disposal. He’s a winner and with the squad he’s picked, he obviously has a plan. Gareth Southgate did a fabulous job, reaching back-to-back Euros finals with England, but his in-game management was called into question as he failed to get England over the line. That is where Tuchel excels and it could prove to be the difference maker for the Three Lions.