FIFA World Cup: Friday schedule, predictions, standings, knockout race

The contention for the World Cup knockout stage intensifies connected Friday arsenic the last Group G, H and I matches are played, with qualification, archetypal spot and respective Round of 32 spots inactive up for grabs.

France and Norway conflict for apical spot successful Group I, Spain look to unafraid archetypal spot successful Group H, portion Egypt, Iran, Belgium, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia are each warring to widen their tournaments.

Away from the enactment connected the pitch, Mexico person completed a cleanable radical stage, Dutch fans person turned Kansas City into a oversea of orange, African teams are chasing a historical knockout showing, and heartwarming instrumentality moments proceed to seizure the tone of the tournament.

Here are the latest fixtures, predictions, standings and talking points from the FIFA World Cup 2026.

What is the docket for Friday?

• Norway vs France astatine Boston Stadium successful the United States astatine 3pm EDT (19:00 GMT)
• Senegal vs Iraq astatine Toronto Stadium, successful Canada astatine 3pm EDT (19:00 GMT)
• Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia astatine Houston Stadium, successful the US astatine 7pm CDT (00:00 GMT connected Saturday)
• Uruguay vs Spain astatine Estadio Guadalajara successful Mexico astatine 6pm CST (00:00 GMT connected Saturday)
• Egypt vs Iran astatine Seattle Stadium successful the US astatine 8pm PDT (03:00 GMT connected Saturday)
• New Zealand vs Belgium astatine BC Place successful Vancouver, Canada astatine 8pm PDT (03:00 GMT connected Saturday)

What are the predictions for Norway vs France?

Norway and France conscionable for the archetypal clip since France’s 4-0 affable triumph successful 2014, successful what volition beryllium the 16th gathering betwixt the 2 nations.

Norway person won conscionable 2 of their erstwhile competitory meetings with France, with their past triumph coming successful a European Championship qualifier successful 1987. They are besides inactive searching for their first-ever World Cup triumph implicit European opposition, having drawn 2 and mislaid 3 of their erstwhile 5 specified matches.

France, meanwhile, person won their past 5 World Cup matches against European teams.

Opta’s supercomputer calculates France arsenic the favourite, giving Les Bleus a 59.4 percent accidental of victory.

A gully is rated astatine 20.6 percent, capable for France to decorativeness apical of Group I, portion Norway is fixed a 20 percent accidental of claiming the 3 points, according to Opta.

What are the predictions for Senegal vs Iraq?

This is the archetypal World Cup gathering betwixt Senegal and Iraq. Senegal are unbeaten against AFC absorption astatine the tournament, drafting with Japan successful 2018 and beating Qatar successful 2022. Iraq person ne'er faced an African squad astatine a World Cup.

Opta’s supercomputer makes Senegal the wide favourites, giving them a 77.2 percent accidental of triumph compared with 8.6 percent for Iraq, portion the gully is rated astatine 14.2 percent.

Senegal tin nary longer apical Group I but inactive person a 72.2 percent accidental of reaching the past 32. Iraq’s hopes are slim, with Opta giving them conscionable a 1.1 percent accidental of progressing.

What are the predictions for Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia?

This volition beryllium the archetypal World Cup gathering betwixt Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia person mislaid conscionable 1 of their 5 erstwhile World Cup matches against African opposition, winning 2 and drafting two.

Opta’s supercomputer gives Cape Verde a flimsy edge, with a 40.8 percent accidental of triumph compared with 33.9 percent for Saudi Arabia. The gully is rated astatine 25.3 percent.

Cape Verde person a 66.7 percent accidental of reaching the past 32, portion Saudi Arabia’s hopes basal astatine 33.3 percent.

What are the predictions for Uruguay vs Spain?

Former tourney winners Uruguay and Spain clash astatine the World Cup for the 3rd time, but for the archetypal clip successful much than 3 decades.

Their 2 erstwhile World Cup meetings some ended successful draws: A 2-2 effect successful the last circular of the 1950 tourney and a goalless group-stage deadlock astatine Italia ’90.

Opta’s supercomputer makes Spain the wide favourites. The reigning European champions won 62.4 percent of 25,000 pre-match simulations, portion Uruguay were victorious successful 15.7 percent. A gully occurred successful 21.9 percent of the simulations.

What are the predictions for Egypt vs Iran?

Egypt and Iran volition conscionable for the archetypal clip astatine the World Cup. Their lone erstwhile gathering came astatine the 2000 LG Cup successful Tehran, ending 1-1 earlier Egypt won 8-7 connected penalties. Current Egypt manager Hossam Hassan scored, portion Iran fable Ali Daei equalised.

Iran are unbeaten against African absorption astatine the World Cup, beating Morocco successful 2018 and drafting with Angola (2006) and Nigeria (2014).

Opta’s supercomputer gives Egypt a flimsy edge, with a 42.9 percent accidental of victory. A gully is rated astatine 32.2 percent, portion Iran person a 24.9 percent accidental of winning.

What are the predictions for New Zealand vs Belgium?

This is the first-ever gathering betwixt New Zealand and Belgium. New Zealand are unbeaten successful their past 2 World Cup matches against European opposition, drafting with Slovakia and Italy astatine the 2010 tournament.

Belgium could go the archetypal European broadside since their ain squad successful 1998 to gully each 3 group-stage matches astatine a World Cup.

Prediction: Opta’s supercomputer makes Belgium overwhelming favourites, giving them an 80.3 percent accidental of victory. A gully is rated astatine 11.8 percent, portion New Zealand prevails successful conscionable 7.9 percent of simulations.

What bash we cognize astir the World Cup standings?

As of Friday, June 26, six groups person completed play, portion Groups G-L are inactive deciding the remaining Round of 32 places.

Some cardinal takeaways:

• Perfect radical winners: Mexico (9 pts) are the lone squad with a cleanable record.
• Already through: Mexico, South Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Morocco, USA, Australia, Germany, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, France and Norway person each secured knockout places.
• Groups inactive to beryllium decided today:
• Group G: Egypt pb connected 4 points, with Iran and Belgium connected 2 and New Zealand connected 1.
• Group H: Spain pb with 4 points, portion Uruguay and Cape Verde person 2 each.
• Group I: France and Norway person already qualified, but archetypal spot is inactive up for grabs.
• Groups J, K and L volition reason connected Saturday.
• With the last group-stage matches inactive to beryllium played, 13 places successful the Round of 32 stay up for grabs.

For much connected this, check our leafage here.

What other is shaping the World Cup?

Turkiye stun US with 98th-minute winner

Turkiye claimed a melodramatic 3-2 victory implicit the United States acknowledgment to a 98th-minute victor successful an entertaining but yet inconsequential Group D finale astatine SoFi Stadium.

With the US already assured of apical spot and Turkiye eliminated earlier kickoff, neither broadside had thing riding connected the result. However, some teams produced an open, high-tempo contention successful beforehand of astir 70,000 fans.

US manager Mauricio Pochettino made 9 changes to his starting lineup, handing 7 players their archetypal World Cup starts.

Six African teams oculus World Cup knockout places

Ten African teams qualified for the expanded 48-team World Cup 2026, and arsenic galore arsenic 8 could inactive scope the knockout stages.

Morocco and South Africa are already through, portion the Ivory Coast person besides secured their spot successful the Round of 32. Egypt, Algeria, DR Congo, Ghana and Cape Verde caput into their last radical matches with qualification inactive successful their ain hands.

Colombian fans’ touching motion wins hearts astatine World Cup

One of the astir heartwarming moments of the 2026 FIFA World Cup came earlier Colombia’s Group K clash against DR Congo.

As the teams lined up for the nationalist anthems, thousands of Colombian fans fell soundless truthful a lone DR Congo protagonist could sing his country’s anthem uninterrupted. When helium finished, the Colombian supporters erupted into applause and cheers, embracing him successful a touching show of respect and sportsmanship.

The infinitesimal rapidly dispersed crossed societal media, becoming 1 of the tournament’s astir memorable off-field scenes. Colombia went connected to triumph the lucifer 1-0, securing their spot successful the Round of 32.

Fans near puzzled arsenic Gianni Infantino appears astatine 2 World Cup matches astatine once

One of the strangest moments of the 2026 World Cup happened disconnected the pitch.

During the last Group E matches, FIFA President Gianni Infantino appeared connected the large screens astatine some Ecuador vs Germany and Curacao vs Ivory Coast – adjacent though the games were being played astatine the aforesaid clip successful antithetic cities.

Videos of the infinitesimal rapidly dispersed crossed societal media, with fans joking that Infantino had recovered a mode to beryllium successful 2 places astatine once. With World Cup stadiums dispersed crossed the US, Canada and Mexico, galore were near wondering however it was possible.

The antithetic infinitesimal came connected a melodramatic nighttime that saw Ecuador upset Germany 2-1, portion Ivory Coast bushed Curacao 2-0 to scope the Round of 32.

Mexico fans observe 3 World Cup group-stage wins successful a row

Mexico completed a cleanable Group A run with a comfy 3-0 triumph implicit Czechia, making it 3 wins from 3 astatine the 2026 World Cup.

Already assured of apical spot earlier kickoff, the cohosts finished the radical signifier successful benignant astatine the Azteca Stadium. After a quiescent archetypal half, Mexico took power aft the interruption arsenic Mateo Chavez broke the deadlock, Julian Quinones doubled the pb with his 2nd extremity of the tournament, and substitute Alvaro Fidalgo sealed the win.

The effect ended Czechia’s hopes of reaching the Round of 32, portion Mexico precocious with maximum points and volition look 1 of the tournament’s champion third-placed teams successful the knockout stage.

More than 35,000 Dutch fans crook Kansas City orange

According to section media reports, downtown Kansas City was transformed into a oversea of orangish connected Thursday arsenic much than 35,000 Netherlands supporters took portion successful the celebrated Oranje Fanwalk earlier their World Cup lucifer against Tunisia.

Fans gathered astatine the Power & Light District earlier marching done the metropolis down the iconic orangish bus, filling the streets with songs, flags and chants connected their mode to the FIFA Fan Fest.

The solemnisation drew not lone Dutch supporters but besides locals and fans from astir the world, creating 1 of the biggest instrumentality marches of the tourney truthful far.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has produced melodramatic matches and unforgettable instrumentality moments, but 1 of the tournament’s biggest talking points has unfolded distant from the pitch.

Speaking connected The Take, journalist Boima Tucker said the tourney has exposed the hostility betwixt football’s connection of planetary unity and progressively restrictive borderline policies. While travelling crossed big cities, helium visited migrant communities celebrating the World Cup, from Moroccan and Senegalese fans successful New York to Cape Verdean supporters successful Massachusetts and thousands of Ghanaians who packed a ticker enactment successful Toronto.

“It’s been fantastic to get an intimate look astatine however the World Cup has affected radical successful their homes,” Tucker said. “People are excited to speech astir their teams and their countries.”

At the aforesaid time, helium highlighted the difficulties galore person faced entering the US. Iran’s nationalist squad has been based successful Tijuana, Mexico, travelling into the US lone for matches, portion shot officials and players’ relatives person struggled to get visas.

Tucker said those challenges inevitably impact the tournament. “When you’re an athlete, you privation to beryllium locked in. You privation to beryllium concentrating connected the field, connected the results,” helium said. “If you person to leap done hurdles, that’s decidedly going to impact the tract of play.”

He besides argued that the World Cup reflects wider planetary inequalities. “We unrecorded successful a planetary strategy that restricts people’s movement,” helium said, adding that portion high-profile cases whitethorn person attention, “their reunion is not going to pb to systemic change.”

Despite the governmental backdrop, Tucker believes shot inactive has a unsocial quality to bring radical together. He described seeing migrant communities observe broadside by side, saying the World Cup allows radical from antithetic cultures and backgrounds to link successful ways that are seldom imaginable elsewhere.

“I anticipation radical retrieve this World Cup arsenic 1 successful which radical crossed taste lines, nationalist identities and people lines were capable to concisely mingle and larn thing astir each other,” helium said. “More than anything, those borders that we person successful our regular lives were concisely overcome.”