The last day of the round of 16 of the World Cup will take place on Friday, with three more places in the round of 16 still to be determined.
Australia face Egypt in the next match of the day, before defending champions Argentina take on World Cup newcomers Cape Verde. Colombia will then take on Ghana in the final game of the day.
Spain, Portugal and Switzerland booked their places in the round of 16 on Thursday, leaving three more teams to complete the knockout stages.
Here’s what we know:
What’s the schedule for Friday?
- Australia vs Egypt (1300 GMT) at Dallas Stadium.
- Argentina vs Cape Verde (18:00/22:00 GMT) at Miami Stadium, Florida.
- Colombia vs Ghana (2030/0130 GMT Saturday) at Kansas City Stadium, Missouri.
What are the predictions for the match Australia – Egypt?
Australia and Egypt have met only twice at the senior level before, winning once each. The Socceroos won their first meeting 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw in the 1987 President’s Cup, before Egypt won their last meeting 3-0 in a 2010 friendly.
The Opta supercomputer faces tough competition. In 25,000 pre-match simulations, Egypt had a slight advantage, winning 38.6 percent of the time compared to Australia’s 30.4 percent.
A draw after 90 minutes was almost as likely, occurring in 31 percent of simulations.
This makes it the closest tie in the round of 16, with Egypt having a 54 percent chance of progressing to the next round, ahead of Australia with a 46 percent chance.
What are the predictions for the match between Argentina and Cape Verde?
This will be the first meeting between Argentina and Cape Verde. The defending champions have a strong record against African opponents at the World Cup, having won each of their last seven such matches since a surprise 1-0 loss to Cameroon in the opening game of the 1990 tournament.
Cape Verde is also making history. They became only the third nation to face the reigning world champions in the knockout stage on their debut tournament, after Norway against Italy in 1938 and Ghana against Brazil in 2006.
The Opta supercomputer makes Argentina the clear favorite for progress. Based on 25,000 pre-match simulations, Lionel Scaloni’s team won 81.0% of the time in regulation time.
Cape Verde had just a 6.8% chance of an upset win, while 12.3% of simulations ended at the same level after 90 minutes.
What are the predictions for the match Colombia – Ghana?
This will be the first meeting between Colombia and Ghana with a place in the round of 16 on the line.
Colombia have recently enjoyed success against African opponents at the World Cup, winning each of their last four such matches, including a 1-0 win over DR Congo in the group stage of the tournament. It is noteworthy that all four victories were won with a difference of one goal.
Meanwhile, Ghana are still seeking their first World Cup victory against their South American rivals. The Black Stars have lost all three of their previous meetings, losing to Brazil in 2006 and Uruguay in 2022.
The Opta supercomputer makes Colombia the clear favorite to advance. Based on 25,000 pre-match simulations, Nestor Lorenzo’s team won 64.8 percent of the time in regulation time.
Ghana had a 13.8 percent chance of winning, with 21.4 percent of simulations ending in a 90th-minute draw.
Historically, neither country has spent much time in the knockout stages of the World Cup.
Which teams made it to the 1/8 finals and which were eliminated?
Four of the six days of the Round of 16 have now been completed and 12 teams have booked their places in 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 the Netherlands on penalties after a 1:1 draw)
- Norway (beat Ivory Coast 2–1)
- France (beat Sweden 3-0)
- Mexico (won Ecuador 2–0)
- England (beat DR Congo 2-1)
- USA (beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–0)
- Spain (beat Austria 3-0)
- Portugal (beat Croatia 2-1)
- Switzerland (win over Algeria 2:0)
Currently eliminated teams:
- South Africa
- Japan
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Ivory Coast
- Sweden
- Ecuador
- DR Congo
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Austria
- Croatia
- Algeria
What is the schedule for the 1/8 finals?Saturday, July 4
- Canada – Morocco: 17:00 GMT
- Paraguay – France: 21:00 GMT
Sunday, July 5
- Brazil – Norway: 20:00 GMT
- Mexico – England: 02:00 GMT (Monday 6 July)
Monday, July 6
- Portugal – Spain: 22:00 GMT
- USA – Belgium: 03:00 GMT (Tuesday, July 7)
Tuesday, July 7
- Argentina Winner – Cape Verde – Australia Winner – Egypt: 16:00 GMT.
- Switzerland – winner of Colombia – Ghana: 23:00 GMT
What else is going on?
Ronaldo makes knockout history
Cristiano Ronaldo made World Cup history on Thursday by scoring his first knockout goal as Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 to advance to the last 16, where they will face Spain.
The 41-year-old converted a penalty in the 68th minute to become the oldest player to score in a World Cup knockout match. It was also his first goal in the knockout stages of the tournament after six appearances at the World Cup.
Substitute Gonzalo Ramos completed the comeback in the fourth minute of stoppage time and scored the winner after Ivan Perisic had given Croatia the lead early in the second half.
Croatia thought they had needed extra time when Josko Guardiol scored in the 103rd minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR review after the ball deflected off Igor Matanovic during an attack.
African teams face early elimination
Africa has sent a record nine teams to the World Cup knockout stages, but the round of 16 has proved a cutthroat so far. Senegal, South Africa, DR Congo, Ivory Coast and Algeria were eliminated, leaving Morocco as the only CAF representative to reach the round of 16.
And if so, Mexico?
Mexico’s dramatic exit to the round of 16 sparked a wave of confidence among fans who embraced one simple phrase: “¿Y si si?” (“What if… yes?”).
The slogan became the unofficial rallying cry of El Tri’s soccer campaign, reflecting the optimism of fans who dared to imagine what once seemed impossible: Mexico winning the World Cup for the first time.
As the World Cup approached, TikTok users and soccer fans embraced it as a symbol of hope, pairing it with emotional moments from Mexico’s soccer history. Many videos featured Juan Gabriel’s iconic 1990 performance of “Hasta que te conoci” at the Palace of Fine Arts, a cultural milestone that embodied the idea that barriers can be broken. For many fans, the message is simple: if the impossible has happened before, why can’t Mexico win its first World Cup?
England fears Aztec atmosphere
England survived a tense 2-1 win over DR Congo but the game against Mexico will be a different story. After being tested by a tenacious defense, the Three Lions must now contend with El Tri’s attack and the unique conditions at Estadio Azteca, which sits 2,240 meters (7,349 feet) above sea level.
England captain Harry Kane admitted he faces a difficult task. “When it comes to knockout football, the pressure is higher and the margins are smaller,” he said. “This game and the next one are difficult for different reasons, but we are at the stage of the tournament where we need to get victories.”
Higher altitude means thinner air, lower oxygen levels and faster ball movement, which increases fatigue and makes it harder to breathe. If Atlanta tests England’s composure, Mexico City could test their stamina.