World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage Heats Up: Predictions, Advancements and Surprises
The World Cup 2026 knockout phase is intensifying as England, Argentina and Belgium face tough last-32 tests while smaller nations chase upsets. Opta’s simulations project England and USA as favorites in key matches, and several teams have already reached the round of 16 (Canada, Brazil, Paraguay, Morocco, Norway, France, Mexico) with others eliminated (South Africa, Japan, Germany, Netherlands, Ivory Coast, Sweden, Ecuador). The piece also covers Argentina’s cautious outlook against Cape Verde, Cape Verde’s president’s bold optimism, Mexico’s run to the ‘el quinto partido’, Mbappe’s record milestones for France, plus side stories on tipping culture in the US, Koeman’s resignation in the Netherlands, Ecuador’s FIFA complaint, and a Ghanaian spiritualist’s Cape Verde upset prediction, all alongside a bracket update.
