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The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage is set, and so is the path to the final. For the first time in World Cup history, the knockout stage, which begins on Sunday, will feature 32 teams with 16 matchups before the field shrinks to 16 teams. From here on out, it is win or go home. Here’s a look at the round of 32 bracket at the 2026 World Cup. Sunday, June 28 Los Angeles Stadium (3 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Canada finished second in Group B. South Africa finished second in Group A. Monday, June 29 Houston Stadium (1 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Brazil finished first in Group C. Japan finished second in Group F. Boston Stadium (4:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Germany finished first in Group E. Paraguay finished third in Group D. Monterrey Stadium (9:00 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Netherlands finished first in Group F. Morocco finished second in Group C. Tuesday, June 30 Dallas Stadium (1 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Ivory Coast finished second in Group E. Norway finished second in Group I. New York New Jersey Stadium (5 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) France finished first in Group I. Sweden finished third in Group F. Mexico City Stadium (9 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Mexico finished first in Group A. Ecuador finished third in Group E. Wednesday, July 1 Atlanta Stadium (12 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) England finished first in Group L. DR Congo topped Uzbekistan in the group-stage finale to finish third in Group K. Seattle Stadium (4 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One) Belgium finished first in Group G. Senegal finished third in Group I. San Francisco Bay Stadium (8 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) USA finished first in Group D. Bosnia and Herzegovina finished third in Group B. Thursday, July 2 Los Angeles Stadium (3 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) This game features the Group H winner vs. the Group J second-place finisher. Spain finished first in Group H. Austria finished second in Group J. Toronto Stadium (7 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Portugal finished second in Group K after a draw vs. group-winner Colombia. Croatia improved its standing with a victory over Ghana and finished second in Group L. BC Place Vancouver (11 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX One) This game will feature the Group A winner vs. the Group G third-place finisher. Switzerland won Group A and Algeria finished third in Group J. Friday, July 3: Dallas Stadium (2 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Egypt finished second in Group G. Australia finished second in Group D. Miami Stadium (6 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Argentina finished first in Group J. Cape Verde finished second in Group H. Kansas City Stadium (9:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Colombia won Group K after a draw vs. Portugal, which finished the group in second. Ghana finished the group stage with a loss to Croatia and advanced after finishing third in Group L.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

For a few moments, it looked like Iran had found the goal that would send it through. In the 93rd minute deep in stoppage time against Egypt, Shoja Khalilzadeh struck the ball into an empty net after a wild sequence inside the box. Iran celebrated like it had just scored the late winner that would secure qualification to the knockout stage as the second-place team in Group G. Then VAR stepped in. The goal was ruled out for offside, and at first glance, it was easy to see why the decision looked confusing. Yasser Ibrahim was behind Khalilzadeh when the ball came to him, so the natural reaction was to think he had kept him onside. But Ibrahim was not the second-last Egyptian player; he was the last one. That is where the position of Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir mattered. Shobeir had come out and was ahead of Khalilzadeh on the play, which changed the offside line. Usually, the goalkeeper is one of the two opponents closest to the goal, so it can be perceived to think of offside as being the “last defender.” But the rule is not based on the last defender; it is based on the second-last opponent. Because Shobeir was further up the field, Ibrahim being behind Khalilzadeh was not enough to keep him onside. Ibrahim was only the final Egyptian player back. The second-last Egyptian player was Hamza Abdelkarim, and Khalilzadeh was ahead of him when the ball came his way. That put Khalilzadeh in an offside position. So even though there was an Egyptian defender behind him, Iran’s goal could not stand. Khalilzadeh needed to be level with or behind the second-last opponent, not just one Egyptian player near the goal line. It was a devastating moment for Iran. A 93rd-minute winner would have sent it into the knockout stage automatically. Instead, the match stayed 1-1, Egypt held onto second place, and Iran was left waiting on other results to see if it would advance as one of the best third-place teams.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The day was supposed to be defined by Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé going head-to-head at the World Cup, and Lamine Yamal facing his biggest test of the tournament yet. It ended with Haaland riding the bench, Mbappé and Yamal failing to score and Ousmane Dembélé stealing the show. Here is everything you might have missed on Day 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: BEST OF THE DAY Moment Of The Day Ousmane Dembélé was absolutely unguardable in France’s 4-1 win vs. Norway on Friday at Boston Stadium. The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner scored a first-half hat-trick and brought his overall tally for the tournament to four goals, one shy of the tournament-high. Dembélé had gone 19 previous major international tournament games without scoring a goal before France’s last game; he now has four in the last two. Goal Of The Day Pape Gueye has not started a match for Senegal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup; that might not be the case for much longer, with Senegal successfully advancing to the round of 32. In 33 minutes against Iraq, Gueye scored two goals and recorded an assist. He ended the match with the highest number of goal contributions on the team (3) despite coming on as a substitute in the 56th minute. Super sub. Assist Of The Day Nicolas Raskin and Romelu Lukaku both subbed on in the 85th minute. One minute later, the two connected on Belgium’s fourth goal of the night as Lukaku drove it home. Talk about instant impact. Save Of The Day Any hope Norway had of mounting a comeback against France was crushed when Les Bleus goalkeeper Mike Maignan denied Jørgen Strand Larsen from the penalty spot. Maignan is the second French goalkeeper to save a penalty in the World Cup — excluding shootouts — after Joel Bats against Zico in the 1986 quarter-final against Brazil. Norway vs. France Senegal vs. Iraq Uruguay vs. Spain Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia New Zealand vs. Belgium Egypt vs. Iran​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

How quickly this game of ours can change. Belgium, which had been extremely disappointing in the 2026 World Cup, finally shook off its inhibitions and won emphatically, 5-1, over New Zealand on Friday night in Vancouver. As a result, the Red Devils avoided an early embarrassment. And, just like that — with some late drama from substitutes Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers — they secured top spot over Egypt in Group G, thanks to a greater goal difference. A brace from Leandro Trossard and another one from Kevin De Bruyne secured the win in a complete performance, and this was exactly what the doctor ordered. As for New Zealand, after a well-earned point against Iran on the first match day, the Kiwis sadly lost back-to-back matches and bowed out of the World Cup. Here are my takeaways: 1. Finally, Belgium Arrived At The World Cup One of the reasons why we have appreciated Belgium for many years is the aesthetically pleasing football. At its best — thanks to the talent at its disposal and specifically in the midfield — the Red Devils push the ball forward with so much ease. That’s what happened Friday. From the first whistle, Belgium pushed, dominated possession and, when entering the final third, it changed from a 4-3-3 to a 2-1-7 formation. Fullbacks played as wingers, wingers as forwards, Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans directed all the play and De Bruyne essentially turned into a striker. More on them later. But the point was to be more fluid up top and not have a target man. In fact, they were all the targets. Trossard put on that Arsenal title-winning confidence to good use tonight with a great brace too. He was excellent tonight. The cherry on top was Lukaku’s goal, as he came on as a late substitute to rescue the goal difference. And then Saelemaekers added the exclamation point. But overall, as far as Rudi Garcia’s entire team was concerned for tonight, it was a great performance from a national team, which finished in third place at the 2018 World Cup. Perhaps this is the start of a momentum for Belgium. 2. Jérémy Doku’s Return Ignites Attack After the birth of his first child, a son named Praise, alongside his wife Shireen, Doku’s teammates undoubtedly praised — sorry, I had to — his return to the lineup. The Manchester City winger often plays like a video game character, where his change of direction and speed can be a nightmare for any opposing defender. Garcia, therefore, made him switch from right wing to left with Trossard on the other side, and New Zealand just couldn’t deal with his trickery. He didn’t score tonight, but he didn’t need to. Doku is just a continuous weapon that does not stop to surprise you with his runs. When you have someone like him, everything becomes easier because he demands so much attention it opens space everywhere else. 3. Youri Tielemans And Kevin De Bruyne: A Brilliant One-Two Punch As a lifelong Aston Villa fan, you already know my thoughts on Tielemans, so it was disappointing to see him start so badly in this tournament, especially after having his best ever season in the Premier League and Europe. But Friday against New Zealand, he was fantastic as he played the role of conductor, directing the Belgian orchestra in the middle of the park. If the team enters the final third, it is almost always because of him. Then there’s De Bruyne, one of the finest attacking midfielders of the modern game. He turns 35 on Sunday, but based on tonight, you wouldn’t have ever known, as he constantly penetrated the box and opened up opportunities for his teammates. In the 66th minute, he scored the team’s third. Forget his passing, which is obviously world-class. Youth players should just watch his movement. It is tremendous. 4. New Zealand Got It All Wrong — Until It Was Too Late In the first half, Darren Bazeley’s side had zero shots and only one touch in the box. It only managed 38-40% possession and just couldn’t create anything of value. It improved in the second, but it was too late. The strategy was also perplexing as it decided to sit back and allow Belgium to keep attacking the box with very little room to counter. It was the equivalent of a boxer asking to be hit with no plans to protect their face. I always felt that New Zealand’s best asset was its physicality and ability to hit opponents with the counter. It did not succeed in doing any of that tonight. Shout-out, however, to Elijah Just, who had a great tournament with three goals. In the end, Belgium was too strong, secured the win and finished top of the group. Now, it will have to wait another day to see which team it’ll face in the round of 32 in Seattle on Wednesday.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Lionel Messi and Argentina now know who they will face in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32. Argentina clinched the top spot in Group J with two wins in its first two matches. While it has yet to play its final group-stage match, its opponent has now been set following Friday’s round of group-stage finales. Here is everything you need to know about Argentina’s round of 32 opponent: Who Is Argentina’s Round Of 32 Opponent? As the runner-up in Group H, Cape Verde, which is making its World Cup debut in 2026, will play reigning champions Argentina in the round of 32. Cape Verde finished Group H with three points after securing three points in three matches, including a 2-2 draw against Uruguay in its second group stage match. Cape Verde had +165 odds to advance to the round of 32 entering the tournament. When Is Argentina vs. Cape Verde? Argentina and Cape Verde will go head-to-head in the round of 32 on July 3 at Miami Stadium. This will mark Lionel Messi’s fourth time playing at Miami Stadium, with his most notable appearance coming in the 2024 Copa América final. Messi plays for Inter Miami CF at the club level, but the MLS side plays all of its home matches at Nu Stadium in Miami. Who Is Cape Verde’s Best Player? On paper, Cape Verde’s statistical leader is Ryan Mendes, the team’s all-time leader in goals and appearances, but veteran goalkeeper Vozinha has become an overnight sensation after recording a seven-save clean sheet against Spain in Cape Verde’s World Cup opener.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will conclude Saturday with Groups J, K and L playing their final slate of games. In Group L, England can likely clinch the group with a win over Panama, while Ghana and Croatia meet in a pivotal match with both teams looking to clinch a spot in the round of 32. Group K will be the next group to play its final two games. The big game between Colombia and Portugal are heavyweights with ambitions to go far in the knockout stages. The winner of this game will win the group. In the other game, the DR Congo could still advance to the round of 32 if it beats Uzbekistan. Finally, in Group J, Argentina has already won its group and might rest key players, including Lionel Messi, when it takes on a Jordan team that is already out. Austria and Algeria then clash in a game where both teams likely need at least a point to feel comfortable about advancing. Here is everything to know about match day 17. When: Saturday, June 27, 5 p.m. ET Where: New York New Jersey TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One England will be looking to officially punch its ticket to the knockout stage when it faces Panama on Saturday at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford in Group L. Entering with four points from its first two games, the Three Lions can win the group with a victory here, combined with Ghana failing to defeat Croatia. If Ghana also wins, the group will be decided by goal differential (England is currently at +2 while Ghana is at +1). After impressing in its opener, England was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw with Ghana on Tuesday. Thomas Tuchel’s team struggled to break down Ghana’s aggressive defense that did not give the English players much space to operate in the final third. On the occasion when England managed to get in a position for a shot, the players either missed the target or saw their shot saved. A key for England in this game is to be more effective in wider areas of the field. Against Ghana, it was not until wingers Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford subbed into the game in the second half that England’s attack was able to find a rhythm. In addition, Harry Kane was limited to just 19 touches and no goals against Ghana. Tuchel will be looking to get Kane on the ball a lot more against Panama. For Panama, Thomas Christiansen’s side have already been eliminated from the knockout stage and will exit the tournament after this game. Panama has played very hard in its first two games, starting with a 1-0 loss to Ghana where it conceded a very late goal. In its second game against Croatia, Panama was surprisingly on the front foot for long stretches but were undone by an Ante Budimir goal in the 54th minute. Panama is still searching for its first goal of the World Cup but will likely continue to prioritize defense and sit in a low block like it did against Croatia. Player To Watch The Arsenal winger has come off the bench in England’s first two games of this tournament. In these appearances, the Three Lions played better whenever he was on the field. Against Croatia, Saka entered in the 72nd minute and assisted on the final goal of a 4-2 win. Against Ghana, Saka was subbed on in the 65th minute, and he completed 100% of his passes while drawing three fouls. England needs to be more effective in getting into one-on-one situations from the wings and that could lead to Saka starting and being an important player in this game. When: Saturday, June 27, 5 p.m. ET Where: Philadelphia TV: FS1 Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One Automatic qualification to the round of 32 is on the line when Croatia takes on Ghana at Philadelphia Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The winner of this game will be guaranteed of at least second place, while Ghana will finish second in the event of a draw. Ghana arrives at this game on the heels of a hard-fought 0-0 draw with England on Tuesday. The Black Stars frustrated the Three Lions over the full 90 minutes with a compact defense and a dangerous counterattack that prevented England from sending more players into the attack. Carlos Queiroz took over as Ghana’s head coach in April after a disastrous March window where the team’s defense bled goals. The Portuguese manager did not have much time to fix the situation, but Ghana is yet to concede a goal at the World Cup and now has an excellent chance of advancing to the round of 32 with four points from its first two games. Ghana’s improvement at this World Cup has been one of the tournament’s most surprising stories. The team’s 1-0 win over Panama in its opener snapped a seven-match winless run, and the team is currently 73rd in the FIFA World Rankings, one of the lowest of all World Cup teams. Croatia has not had an easy time at this World Cup. Despite scoring two equalizers against England, Croatia let the game get away in the second half of a 4-2 loss. Against Panama, Croatia and to fight a lot harder than expected for its 1-0 win. Against Ghana, head coach Zlatko Dalić will need big performances from his veteran midfielders to break down the Black Stars defense. This begins with 40-year-old captain Luka Modrić along with Manchester City’s Mateo Kovačić, 32, who is also part of the team’s leadership. Croatia’s talent and experience likely has it as the favorites in this game, but age might also work against the team if the game becomes a test of athleticism. Ghana has little pressure in this game as the Black Stars have already surpassed expectations. Player To Watch The Manchester City midfielder has the unenviable task of breaking down Ghana’s compact defense. Panama and England were both unsuccessful and now will be Croatia’s turn. Kovačić likes to receive the ball in deep areas and drive forward into the attack. He has been very useful for Manchester City over the years against over-matched teams who try to sit deep. His style could really help Croatia to open the game and create chances. When: Saturday, June 27, 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Miami TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One In one of the most anticipated group stage finales, Portugal and Colombia clash on Saturday night at Miami Stadium in a game that will decide Group K. Colombia has already qualified for the round of 32 but can win the group with just a draw. Portugal, meanwhile, is essentially through to the knockout stages given its strong goal differential following the 5-0 win over Uzbekistan. But a point mathematically clinches a knockout appearance while a win gives Roberto Martinez’s team the group title. After a lackluster 1-1 draw with DR Congo in its opening game, Portugal came to life against Uzbekistan with a 5-0 win. Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, was the top story in that game as he ended his 10-game (13 games when not including penalties) international scoring slump in major tournaments. He became the first player to ever score at six different World Cups with his brace, and those goals saw him join other greats such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland with multiple goals in this tournament. With Ronaldo off and running, Portugal is very dangerous with a team stacked with world-class talent. Against Colombia, Ronaldo leads an attack that also features Rafael Leão and Francisco Conceição. The midfield trio of Vitinha, João Neves and Bruno Fernandes is among the best in this tournament and will be difficult for Colombia to stop. Colombia has been the clear better team in each of its first two games, but has not dominated. Crystal Palace right wing back Daniel Muñoz has scored in each of the first two games, and Bayern Munich left-winger Luis Diaz has also been very effective on the other side. James Rodriguez, 34, has struggled at the club level the past five years as he has bounced around without sticking. His most recent attempts have come in Mexico and the United States, but he continues to be very effective for Colombia’s national team and was responsible for creating several scoring chances in the 1-0 win over DR Congo. Portugal is favored in this game, but Colombia will have plenty of fan support in Miami. Colombia might also opt to play conservatively due to only needing a draw to win the group. Player To Watch Who else? Portugal’s all-time leading scorer ended his slump in international tournaments in a big way with two goals against Uzbekistan, and he became the first player to ever score in six World Cups. These performances are not just important for Ronald’s résumé, they are great for Portugal. If Ronaldo continues to contribute, Portugal becomes a threat to go far and maybe even win the tournament. When: Saturday, June 27, 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Atlanta TV: FS1 Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One Both DR Congo and Uzbekistan will be looking for their first ever World Cup victories when the two teams meet at Atlanta Stadium on Saturday. Neither team is mathematically eliminated from qualifying for the round of 32, and the only path forward for both is to win this game and possibly get help. DR Congo has the best chance. Sitting at one point from its draw with Portugal and a -1-goal differential, DR Congo would move to four points with a win. The chances of finishing second are very slim, as the Leopards would also need Portugal to lose in a way that negates its six-goal advantage in the goal differential tiebreak. DR Congo still likely controls its own fate. A win would bring it to four points, which is likely enough to finish as one of the eight best third-place teams. One thing to watch at the start of this game is DR Congo’s formation. Needing a win to advance, head coach Sébastien Desabre might stray from the five-man backline formation he used in the first two games and opt for a more aggressive approach with more attackers on the field. Regardless of the formation, Yoane Wissa and veteran Cedric Bakambu will be the Leopards’ top scoring options. This World Cup has been a learning lesson for Uzbekistan, which lost its opener to Colombia 3-1 and then was blown out 5-0 by Portugal. Technically it could advance with a win because some third-place teams might advance with three points. But Uzbekistan’s goal differential of -7 makes that nearly impossible. Head coach Fabio Cannavaro will still want to end the team’s tournament on a high note. Uzbekistan has been one of Asia’s best performing countries at the youth national team level and there are encouraging signs for the future. It would be another sign of progress if the team can return home with a World Cup point. Player To Watch The Newcastle United forward scored DR Congo’s equalizer in the 1-1 draw with Portugal in the opener. He has also been the team’s most dangerous scoring option over its 180-plus minutes at this World Cup. DR Congo needs to win this game, and if they do, a spot in the knockouts is likely. Unlike the first two games where DR Congo was the underdog, in this game the Leopards should be the favorites. Scoring opportunities should be there, and Wissa will have a big say in whether his team moves on — or goes home. When: Saturday, June 27, 10 p.m. ET Where: Dallas TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One Lionel Messi celebrated his 39th birthday on Wednesday while playing some of the best soccer of his career. If anyone was hoping that this World Cup would be where the Argentine legend finally shows signs of slowing down, they are surely extremely disappointing. Argentina has six points from its first two games and is outscoring its opponents, 5-0. Messi has scored all five of Argentina’s goals at this World Cup and could have had even more as he missed a penalty in the 2-0 win over Austria earlier in the week. In that game, he scored his 18th World Cup goal and is now the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. On Saturday, Argentina takes on Jordan in what is a dead-rubber match in Group J. Argentina has already clinched the group title while Jordan has already been eliminated and will return home after this game. Because of that, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni might opt to rest Messi ahead of the knockouts. That would give Jordan a more realistic chance of securing its first ever World Cup point. It will still be extremely difficult for Jordan even without Messi on the field. Without Messi, Scaloni could opt for Como’s promising attacking midfielder, Nico Paz, to play in Messi’s role. Also, Argentina has a number of top players returning from injury in Julián Álvarez, Leandro Paredes, and Nicolás Tagliafico. These players played limited minutes in the first two games but could see their role expanded against Jordan. As for Jordan, it is a game about showing pride. Head coach Jamal Sellami will likely continue to go with his top lineup, but the key for his team is to improve its set piece defending, as Jordan has conceded set piece goals in each of the first two games. Player To Watch If Scaloni fully rests Messi in this game, as seems likely, then Paz could be the player who steps into that role. Paz, 21, looks ready for an increased role in Argentina, and he is a big part of the future for La Albiceleste. In May, he won the award for Serie A’s Midfielder of the Season. In 2025-26, he scored 12 goals and added six assists to lead Como to a fourth-place finish and a spot in the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League. Messi is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time, but with Paz, the team’s future looks bright. This is a good opportunity for him to begin carving out a role in the team. When: Saturday, June 27, 10 p.m. ET Where: Kansas City TV: FS1 Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One Second place in Group J and an automatic spot in the World Cup’s round of 32 will go to the winner of Saturday night’s game between Austria and Algeria at Kansas City Stadium. Both teams have lost to Argentina and defeated Jordan, but Austria carries an edge in goal differential and would claim second place with a draw. But that might not be a good thing. In an interesting conundrum, some analysts have noted that finishing second in Group J is no prize as it likely sets up a matchup with tournament favorite Spain in the round of 32. If the third-place team in Group J qualifies for the knockouts, it would likely offer a much more manageable path. Austria manager Ralf Rangnick will likely try to boost his team’s offense in starting forward Marko Arnautovic for the first time at this World Cup. The 37-year-old forward is the team’s all-time leading scorer and has played well off the bench. In the opening 3-1 win over Jordan, Arnautovic was instrumental in delivering the win. Algeria head coach Vladimir Petkovic will be forced to continue to play without leading attacker Mohamed Amoura, who suffered a hamstring injury in the opening game loss to Argentina. In the 2-1 win over Jordan, Algeria started slowly but dominated the second half in a comeback win that was led by attackers Nadir Benbouali, Amine Gouiri and Riyad Mahrez. Rangnick’s Austrian team plays with an intense counter-pressing system. Algeria will only succeed if it can make quick passes out of pressure and get into the attack before Austria gets into its defensive shape. Player To Watch The French-born Chaïbi is a versatile player but has settled into a more attacking role on the left side for both Algeria and his club Eintracht Frankfurt. In the 2025-26 Bundesliga season, he had two goals and nine assists in 1,789 minutes. Chaïbi, 23, is Algeria’s best passer in attacking situations and against a counter-pressing team in Austria, he could find openings to create a lot of chances.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Lionel Messi might not get a chance to extend his FIFA World Cup goals record when Argentina takes on Jordan in its final match of Group J play. The superstar forward won’t star in Argentina’s match against Jordan on Saturday (10 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and FOX One), coach Lionel Scaloni announced. The decision not to start Messi came after the Argentina icon scored five goals in La Albiceleste’s first two matches. In Argentina’s opening match, Messi scored his first career hat trick at the World Cup in its 3-0 win over Algeria. He followed that up with a two-goal performance in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria on Monday, breaking the FIFA World Cup’s all-time goals record with 18. With those two victories, Argentina has already secured first place in Group J. So, Argentina technically has nothing to play for in Saturday’s match. If Messi winds up sitting on the bench for the entirety of Saturday’s match, he’ll have 10 days of rest prior to Argentina’s round of 32 match. Argentina will play Cape Verde on Friday, July 3 (6 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and FOX One). If Argentina wins that match, it’ll play in the round of 16 just four days later on July 7. Argentina’s decision to bench Messi for Saturday’s game won’t have any implications on the bracket, either. Jordan has been eliminated from advancing to the knockout stage, with Algeria and Austria each battling for second place in the group. As Messi already has five goals, he’s the current favorite to win the Golden Boot for the tournament. However, four players are only one goal behind him for first place, and France star Kylian Mbappé is two goals shy of Messi’s record. Mbappé didn’t score in France’s 4-1 win over Norway on Friday, though.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Friday’s match for the top spot in Group I was a masterclass – led by maestro Ousmane Dembélé and his three goals – as France won 4-1 against Norway and earned three straight victories in the process. It’s the first time Les Bleus have won all three group matches since 1998, which is when they became champions. Les Bleus were without manager Didier Deschamps, who returned to France following the death of his mother, but delivered a performance that once again showed why this team is the favorites.  As a result, Group I winner France will most likely face Sweden at New York New Jersey Stadium. But for Norway, it was an acceptable loss. A good one, if there is such a thing. The Norwegians conceded four goals, but this was a rotated squad where Stale Solbakken made a lot of changes, including keeping striker Erling Haaland or midfielder Martin Odegaard on the bench. And still, even with all the changes, it created opportunities, even with the missed penalty. So it should feel good as it now prepares for the Ivory Coast in the Round of 32. Here are my takeaways: 1. Ousmane Dembélé has finally arrived After failing to make an impact for France under the big spotlight (19 previous major international tournament games without scoring a goal), Dembélé now has four goals at this World Cup. The PSG star and 2025 Ballon d’Or winner is now in the Golden Boot race as he has the same number of goals as his teammate Kylian Mbappé. This was a signature performance for Dembélé. When you give him space inside the box, and he cuts inside to his slightly-preferred left foot, there is nothing you can do to stop him and that’s what continually happened. Norway made a big mistake by stepping away and as a result, he kept on punishing them. A fantastic hat-trick, which was the second fastest by a starter in World Cup history (32 minutes) behind Austria’s Erich Probst in 1954 against Czechoslovakia. 2. Right Decision To Sit Haaland? It made sense for Solbakken to sit his regulars, including Haaland, who wanted to make sure his team was as fresh as possible for the knockout stage. But there is such a thing as momentum and confidence, so did he do the right thing? Yes. Norway was all prepared for whatever outcome. On Monday, after winning 3-2 against Senegal, Haaland spoke about France’s dominance, giving a refreshingly candid (if a bit flippant) answer when talking about his team’s chances against Les Bleus. “Honestly, I don’t care too much [about the France game],” Haaland said. “We’re through, we managed to get through, which is incredible …so I couldn’t care too much about that game now. They [France] are probably going to win against us, they’re probably going to win the whole tournament.” It’s not a defeatist concept, it’s a realistic one. Norway is a very good team, but it does not have the depth of France, so if it loses to the likes of Haaland, then it can almost say goodbye to a strong, deep, historic run. Besides, with a rotated squad against a giant like France, Norway still created lots of good chances and had several chances for more goals, including a missed penalty. At least that’s very encouraging. If there is one team who can handle a loss and get right back up, it’s Norway. 3. France Shows Why It Is The Team To Beat After the victory over Norway, the two-time World Cup champion now ends the group stage in perfect fashion, winning all three matches. This might be a good omen as the last time it achieved this was in 1998, when it won the competition. Naturally, in 2018, it also won the tournament and, at that time, it didn’t win all three group stage matches. However, this summer, to me – as I have said from day one – France is looking stronger and stronger because the entire squad knows its role. How do you even stop this team when you have Mbappé up top, Michael Olise right under him, Désiré Doué on the left … oh, and if you choose to focus on the right wing, there’s Dembélé? This type of devastating attacking talent should not even be legal. The embarrassment of riches is honestly overwhelming for any team at this tournament. Yes, it’s still trying to figure out things defensively – France was caught sleeping in Norway’s lone goal – but you can’t deny the attacking might of France far outweighs any defensive vulnerability. 4. An Emotional Day With Deschamps Absent Didier Deschamps is one of the longest serving managers in international football, having been in charge of France since 2012. But his presence was missed in the game after he returned to France following his mother’s death, which gave Friday an important meaning. “On behalf of the entire France team, France’s family, we extend our condolences to the coach and his family,” said midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni prior to the match, speaking from the team’s camp. “This is a difficult time for everyone. We tried to make things seem normal, but we have a mission, and we want to make him proud.” And the Real Madrid midfielder did exactly that, playing a very strong performance in the midfield under the guidance of assistant manager Guy Stephan. “He gave us a mission, both the staff and the players. Guy will follow the coach’s instructions. We will continue to respect our playing principles. We are confident that we will do everything we can to win.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Senegal kept its hopes of reaching the knockouts alive on Friday with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Iraq in Toronto. It was the result the team needed as it moved the Lions of Teranga into third place in Group I; now it must wait for the remaining groups to finish before it knows for certain whether it is one of the top eight third-place teams at the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Senegal will leave the game knowing it did everything it could today to give itself its best chance to advance. Here are my takeaways: 1. Perfect Start For Senegal Senegal and Iraq came into this game without a point as both lost to France and Norway. This expanded version of the tournament is more forgiving as eight of 12 third-place teams advance to the round of 32. To have any chance of getting there, however, both teams knew they had to win, likely by a lot of goals, to improve their goal differential tiebreaker. After just a few minutes, it became clear that Senegal was likely going to win this game. The biggest question was whether it could dramatically improve its goal differential to the point where it was the top of the third-place finishers with three points. Senegal got the start it needed when Habib Diarra headed home a corner kick in just the fourth minute. In the 13th minute, Iraq defender Rebin Sulaka was judged to have brought down former Liverpool forward Sadio Mané, who had a clear path to goal. After a long VAR review, it was determined that Sulaka fouled Mané by pulling his shirt from behind in what was a denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. By rule, Sulaka was then sent off. With the game still in its early stages, Senegal was up a goal and up a man in a game it needed to win likely by a large margin. The start could not have gone any better for Senegal, which now seemed to be off to the races. 2. Red Card Decreased First-Falf Intensity After the red card, the entire flow of the game changed.  Despite being up a man, the Lions of Teranga were lacking in both the urgency and execution they showed earlier in the game. Immediately after the red card, Mané had a free kick that was well saved by Iraqi goalkeeper Ahmed Basil Fadhil (who would later leave the game with an injury). After that, Senegal did not have another shot on target the rest of the first half. The intensity of the game completely drained, and the crowd grew very quiet. At halftime and in the opening minutes of the second half, it seemed as if the game was going to turn into a dull grind without many opportunities. 3. Thiaw’s Substitutions Changed Everything Immediately after Iraq gifted Senegal another goal and a 2-0 lead in the 56th minute, Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw decided to make a wave of substitutions to go after the blowout win it would likely need. Pape Gueye, Iliman Ndiaye, Nicolas Jackson, and Pathé Ciss all came into the game to bring more energy to the game. With these players, Senegal switched to a more aggressive formation as its wingers moved further up the field into the attack. It paid off in a major way, specifically through Gueye, who scored two fantastic goals with powerful shots. The first was just minutes after coming on in the 59th minute on an assist from Crystal Palace forward Ismaïla Sarr. Then, in the 71st minute, it was Gueye with another goal on an assist from Ndiaye. From there, the rout was on, and it was completed in the 82nd on a goal from Ndiaye, which was assisted by Gueye, who plays for Villarreal in Spain. That put the score at 5-0. The stats from the three 57th-minute substitutes were beyond impressive. They created chance after chance, but most importantly, it was the three goals, two of which were also assisted by substitutes. Specifically, Gueye was the best player on the field, who also had the biggest impact on the score. 4. Iraq’s Repeated Mistakes Proved Costly Iraq will now exit the tournament with three losses in three group stage games. Expectations were low for Graham Arnold’s team because this was one of the most challenging groups of the entire World Cup. While Iraq had to face three very powerful teams in Norway, France, and Senegal, its most difficult opponent was likely itself. That will make this tournament very difficult to accept, because it did not play its best and did not compete as well as it should have. There was a point in both its games against Norway and France when Iraq was playing well and very much in the game. In those games, Iraq became undone through careless passing out of the back that gifted Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé with the easiest goals possible. Then, against Senegal, it was a wave of mistakes that did the team in. First, there was the red card. Then, it was Senegal’s second goal that originated when Iraq midfielder Zidane Iqbal was careless with the ball just outside his own box and lost possession to Senegal’s Lamine Camara. Camara then set up Sarr for his third goal of the tournament. Iraq was likely never going to advance out of Group I, but it did not need to gift wrap numerous goals to its opponents.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Not once, not twice, but thrice. France winger Ousmane Dembélé scored three goals in the first half of its World Cup match against Norway on Friday, putting the Paris Saint-Germain star firmly in the mix for the Golden Boot race for the tournament’s top-goal scorer. All of Dembélé’s goals came in the first 32 minutes of the match at Boston Stadium. He became the first player to score a first-half hat trick at a men’s FIFA World Cup since Russia’s Oleg Selenko in 1994, who finished with five goals in the match against Cameroon. The fastest World Cup hat trick took only 7 minutes, 42 seconds. Hungary striker Laszlo Kiss, who had come on as a substitute, managed that feat late in the match against El Salvador at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. Dembéé’s the second fastest from a starter. Dembélé completed the feat with three completely different goals. The third goal was a combination of his first two — a curler with his left foot from the same spot he powered his first goal in with his right foot. Dembélé entered Friday’s match with one goal. With four goals, he sits behind Lionel Messi (five goals) in the Golden Boot race. He joins Messi and Canada’s Jonathan David as the third player with a hat trick at this tournament. Dembélé is tied with France teammate Kylian Mbappé, with four goals at the tournament. Mbappé assisted on two of the goals. Dembélé By The Numbers 1: Ballon’Or award, which he won in 2025 as the world’s best player. 3: Dembélé is the third player to score a hat-trick for France at a men’s World Cup, after Just Fontaine (two in 1958) and Kylian Mbappé (one in 2022). 11: Number of international goals he now has, with his first coming back in 2017 in a friendly match vs. England. 19: The number of previous major international tournament games without scoring a goal before France’s last game; Dembélé now has four in the last two.20: By assisting Dembélé on two of his goals, Mbappé has tied Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the second-most most goal contributions (goals + assists) at the World Cup since 1966 (20: 16 goals, 4 assists). Only Lionel Messi has more than Mbappé (26). 32: The number of minutes for Dembélé to achieve his hat trick. It’s the second earliest ever in World Cup history (Austria’s Erich Probst did in 24 minutes in 1954 vs. Czechia).​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports