FIFA World Cup 2026: Saturday schedule, Round of 32 standings, predictions

Saturday brings different large time astatine the FIFA World Cup, with six group-stage matches inactive to beryllium played earlier the knockout rounds begin.

England and Argentina are aiming to decorativeness the radical signifier with cleanable records, portion Colombia and Portugal face-off for archetypal spot successful Group K. Croatia, Ghana, DR Congo and Uzbekistan are besides among the teams inactive warring to scope the Round of 32.

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Off the pitch, Cape Verde person made past by reaching the knockout signifier successful their archetypal World Cup, Iran are waiting to find retired if they suffice arsenic 1 of the champion third-placed teams, and skipper Mehdi Taremi has criticised FIFA implicit his team’s question arrangements. Pink boots person besides go 1 of the biggest trends astatine the tournament.

Here is what to know:

What is the schedule?

• Panama vs England astatine New York New Jersey Stadium successful the United States astatine 5pm EDT (21:00 GMT)
• Croatia vs Ghana astatine Philadelphia Stadium successful the US astatine 5pm EDT (21:00 GMT)
• Colombia vs Portugal astatine Miami Stadium successful the US astatine 7:30pm EDT (23:30 GMT)
• DR Congo vs Uzbekistan astatine Atlanta Stadium successful the US astatine 7:30pm EDT (23:30 GMT)
• Jordan vs Argentina astatine Dallas Stadium successful the US astatine 9pm CDT (02:00 GMT connected Sunday)
• Algeria vs Austria astatine Kansas City Stadium successful the US astatine 9pm CDT (02:00 GMT connected Sunday)

What are the predictions for Panama vs England?

England and Panama person met lone erstwhile earlier astatine the World Cup, with England cruising to a 6-1 triumph successful the radical signifier astatine Russia 2018. That triumph remains Three Lions’ biggest triumph successful tourney history.

England are overwhelming favourites to assertion each 3 points successful New Jersey. According to the Opta supercomputer’s 25,000 pre-match simulations, the squad has a 78.5 percent accidental of winning.

Panama are fixed conscionable an 8.9 percent accidental of signaling their first-ever World Cup victory, portion the probability of them earning a maiden World Cup constituent stands astatine 12.6 percent.

What are the predictions for Croatia vs Ghana?

This volition beryllium the first-ever gathering betwixt Croatia and Ghana. Ranked 65th successful the latest FIFA standings, Ghana are the second-lowest-ranked federation Croatia person faced astatine a World Cup, aft Russia (70th) successful 2018.

Despite sitting a constituent down Ghana successful Group L, Croatia are wide favourites to assertion victory, according to the Opta supercomputer.

Across 25,000 pre-match simulations, Croatia won 56.3 percent of the time. Ghana were victorious successful 17.6 percent of simulations, portion the gully was rated astatine 26.2 percent.

What are the predictions for Colombia vs Portugal?

This volition beryllium the first-ever World Cup gathering betwixt Colombia and Portugal.

Colombia volition go conscionable the 3rd South American squad Portugal person faced astatine the World Cup, pursuing erstwhile meetings with Brazil and Uruguay.

Portugal are flimsy favourites according to the Opta supercomputer, winning 51.6 percent of its 25,000 pre-match simulations.

Colombia were victorious successful 23.9 percent of simulations, portion the gully was fixed a 25.2 percent probability. A constituent would beryllium capable for Colombia to unafraid the apical spot successful Group K.

What are the predictions for DR Congo vs Uzbekistan?

This volition beryllium the first-ever gathering betwixt DR Congo and Uzbekistan.

Both sides are inactive chasing a spot successful the knockout stage, with DR Congo besides seeking their first-ever World Cup triumph aft drafting with Portugal and narrowly losing to Colombia.

The Opta supercomputer gives DR Congo the edge, with the Leopards winning 48.9 percent of its 25,000 pre-match simulations.

Uzbekistan came retired connected apical successful 26.8 percent of simulations, portion the gully was rated astatine 24.3 percent, leaving the Central Asian broadside with an extracurricular accidental of reaching the Round of 32.

What are the predictions for Algeria vs Austria?

This volition beryllium lone the 2nd gathering betwixt Algeria and Austria, with their erstwhile brushwood besides coming successful the World Cup radical signifier successful 1982.

Austria won that lucifer 2-0, signaling what remains their astir caller cleanable expanse astatine the World Cup.

The Opta supercomputer expects a choky contest, with the gully the astir apt result astatine 42.1 percent crossed 25,000 pre-match simulations.

Austria are narrowly favoured to win, with a 31.2 percent accidental of taking each 3 points, portion Algeria are rated astatine 26.7 percent. Victory would spot Algeria triumph back-to-back World Cup matches for the archetypal time.

What are the predictions for Jordan vs Argentina?

This volition beryllium the first-ever gathering betwixt Jordan and Argentina successful immoderate competition.

Argentina are overwhelming favourites to proceed their cleanable World Cup campaign, adjacent with Lionel Messi confirmed to statesman the lucifer from the substitutes bench.

The Opta supercomputer gave the reigning satellite champions a 77.9 percent accidental of triumph crossed 25,000 pre-match simulations. The gully was rated astatine 13.3 percent, leaving Jordan – who person already been eliminated from the 2026 tourney – with conscionable an 8.8 percent accidental of pulling disconnected a celebrated upset and claiming their first-ever World Cup win.

Who has qualified for the Round of 32 truthful far? (As of June 27, 06:00 GMT)

• Mexico (Group A)
• South Africa (Group A)
• Switzerland (Group B)
• Canada (Group B)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina (best 3rd place)
• Brazil (Group C)
• Morocco (Group C)
• USA (Group D)
• Australia (Group D)
• Paraguay (best 3rd place)
• Germany (Group E)
• Ivory Coast (Group E)
• Ecuador (best 3rd place)
• Netherlands (Group F)
• Japan (Group F)
• Sweden (best 3rd place)
• Belgium (Group G)
• Egypt (Group G)
• Spain (Group H)
• Cape Verde (Group H)
• France (Group I)
• Norway (Group I)
• Senegal (best 3rd place)
• Argentina (Group J)
• Colombia (Group K)
• Portugal (Group K)
• England (Group L)
• Ghana (Group L)

Or, grouped by status:

• Group winners (confirmed): Mexico, Switzerland, Brazil, USA, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, France, Argentina.
• Group runners-up (confirmed): South Africa, Canada, Morocco, Australia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Egypt, Cape Verde, Norway.
• Qualified with radical presumption inactive to beryllium decided: Colombia, Portugal, England, Ghana.
• Best third-placed teams: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, Sweden, Paraguay and Senegal.

What other is happening?

Cape Verde’s imagination debut is not implicit yet

The island federation reached the World Cup knockouts for the archetypal clip aft holding Saudi Arabia to a goalless gully successful Houston connected Friday, becoming the smallest state by colonisation to scope the knockout signifier of a men’s World Cup.

The tourney newcomers had already stunned Spain with a 0-0 gully successful their opening lucifer earlier scoring their archetypal World Cup goals successful a 2-2 gully with Uruguay.

They finished unbeaten connected 3 points, 2nd successful Group H down Spain.

Next comes their biggest trial yet: Defending champions Argentina successful the Round of 32 successful Miami Gardens, Florida, connected July 3.

Iran near waiting aft precocious VAR heartbreak

Iran’s hopes of reaching the Round of 32 stay alive, but nary longer successful their ain hands.

Team Melli drew 1-1 with Egypt aft a melodramatic stoppage-time victor was ruled retired for offside pursuing a VAR review, leaving them 3rd successful Group G connected 3 points.

Iran indispensable present hold to spot if that is capable to suffice arsenic 1 of the tournament’s champion third-placed teams. To advancement to the last-32, they necessitate 1 of the pursuing scenarios to hap connected Saturday:

• Croatia to beryllium defeated by Ghana successful Group L.
• DR Congo neglect to bushed Uzbekistan successful Group K –  though Uzbekistan indispensable not triumph by a seven-goal borderline oregon greater.
• Either Austria oregon Algeria to triumph their last matchday successful Group J

Taremi criticises World Cup conditions for Iran

Iran skipper Mehdi Taremi accused FIFA of failing to code logistical problems facing his squad astatine the World Cup aft Friday’s 1-1 gully with Egypt.

Speaking aft the game, Taremi described the team’s question arrangements arsenic a “disaster”, saying repeated journeys from their basal successful Tijuana to the US had enactment Iran astatine a disadvantage. He besides questioned whether his squad were genuinely invited astatine the tournament, asking: “If they privation america to beryllium out, OK, let’s beryllium out. But that’s not fair.”

The comments came against the backdrop of heightened tensions betwixt Iran and the US pursuing caller subject attacks and a fragile ceasefire. Taremi urged FIFA to resoluteness the issues, saying the governing assemblage had failed to supply the enactment promised earlier the tournament.

Mehdi Taremi #9 of IR Iran applauds fans aft the 1-1 gully during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G lucifer betwixt Egypt and IR Iran astatine Seattle Stadium [Richard Heathcote/Getty Images]

Why are immoderate players wearing pinkish cleats astatine the World Cup?

Pink has go the standout footwear colour astatine the 2026 FIFA World Cup aft starring manufacturers, including Nike, Adidas, Puma, Skechers and New Balance, each released agleam pinkish designs earlier the tournament.

The colour is intended to assistance players basal retired connected the transportation portion besides projecting confidence. “Athletes subordinate this colour with assurance and lasting out, and that resonates,” Nike’s manager of planetary footwear, Odinga Nimako, said.

Among the players wearing pinkish boots are Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland successful Nike models, portion Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Jonathan David, Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele are among those sporting Adidas versions.

The inclination continues a displacement distant from the accepted black-and-white shot boot, pursuing the colourful designs that archetypal gained popularity astatine the 1998 World Cup.

New Zealand’s Sarpreet Singh (#10) runs during the World Cup Group G shot lucifer betwixt New Zealand and Belgium successful Vancouver, British Columbia, Friday, June 26, 2026 [Bobbie Parr/AP]