Eight matches. Eight stories. Yesterday closed out another wild round of group play — and tonight, the final six group-stage fixtures kick off, with Argentina, Portugal, and England all stepping out.
Yesterday's Results
Türkiye 3-2 United States [Group D] — The US went out of the group stage on a loss, and it stings. Turkey scored what The Guardian describes as a goal "with almost the final kick" to seal it, leaving Pochettino's side to exit with a 3-2 defeat. AP reports that Pochettino was "annoyed by perceived disappointment" after the result — a sign that the coach feels the group-stage record was better than the reaction suggests. The US still advanced as group runners-up, but losing your final game at home is not the send-off anyone wanted.
Norway 1-4 France [Group I] — Ousmane Dembélé was the story. Reuters reports he scored a hat-trick in 32 minutes, turning what could have been a routine win into a statement. France look like a team that is genuinely hitting their stride at the right moment.
Senegal 5-0 Iraq [Group I] — A double from Gueye and a dominant team performance, per Reuters, kept Senegal's knockout hopes alive while sending Iraq home. The margin was emphatic — this was not a close game that got away.
Uruguay 0-1 Spain [Group H] — Alex Baena's first-half strike was enough, and a Muslera error helped seal Uruguay's fate. AP reports Spain topped Group H and Uruguay — two-time world champions — are eliminated without a win. BBC Sport notes Bielsa's side exit in "failure, friction and no wins," and is already asking hard questions about the end of his reign.
Cape Verde 0-0 Saudi Arabia [Group H] — A point was all Cape Verde needed, and they got it. BBC Sport reports Cape Verde are through to the round of 32 unbeaten — a remarkable achievement for a nation of 525,000 people. They now face Argentina.
Egypt 1-1 Iran [Group G] — A draw that AP notes was played under the shadow of controversy, with rainbow flags permitted in the stadium despite objections from both nations' football associations. On the pitch, both sides took a point and wait to see if it's enough.
New Zealand 1-5 Belgium [Group G] — BBC Sport reports Trossard, De Bruyne, and Lukaku all got on the scoresheet as Belgium thrashed New Zealand to advance to the last 32. A comfortable evening for the Red Devils.
Japan 1-1 Sweden [Group F] — Both sides came in needing a result, and both got one. The Athletic reports that Japan and Sweden both clinched knockout berths with the draw, with Japan on four points and Sweden on three heading into the game. An Isak-Elanga miscommunication reportedly caused some post-match friction in the Swedish camp, per Reuters.
Today's Fixtures
Tonight is the final night of the group stage, and it delivers.
- Panama vs England [Group L] — 5 p.m. ET | England need to manage the occasion and keep key players healthy heading into the knockouts — watch whether Tuchel rotates or goes full strength, a question Sky Sports has been tracking all week.
- Croatia vs Ghana [Group L] — 5 p.m. ET | Both sides need points; Croatia's experience in must-win moments makes them the team to watch, but Ghana will not be passive.
- Colombia vs Portugal [Group K] — 7:30 p.m. ET | Ronaldo's last group-stage match of his career, almost certainly — watch whether Portugal's veterans or Colombia's energy sets the tone, with the FIFA fixture page confirming the 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.
- DR Congo vs Uzbekistan [Group K] — 7:30 p.m. ET | Two of the tournament's debutants meet with knockout implications; Uzbekistan have been one of the stories of the group stage, as ESPN has noted in its tournament coverage.
- Algeria vs Austria [Group J] — 10 p.m. ET | Algeria have been a fan favorite in their host city — Reuters ran a feature on small-town America opening its arms to the Algerian squad — and tonight they need a result to stay alive.
- Jordan vs Argentina [Group J] — 10 p.m. ET | Messi and Argentina close out the group stage against Jordan, who have nothing to lose and everything to play for, with both sides' paths confirmed on the NBC Sports schedule.
Around the Tournament
Cape Verde's fairytale is real. Reuters has a piece on coach Bubista calling his players "fearless dreamers" after the nation of 525,000 reached the knockout rounds unbeaten. They face Argentina next, which is either a dream or a nightmare depending on your perspective.
The Egypt-Iran "Pride Match." AP reports that FIFA green-lit rainbow flags inside the stadium for yesterday's Egypt vs Iran match in Seattle, despite objections from both nations. Fans reacted strongly, and the story has become one of the tournament's most-discussed off-pitch moments.
Bielsa's Uruguay exit. BBC Sport is running a full post-mortem on what went wrong for Uruguay under Marcelo Bielsa — "failure, friction and no wins" is a brutal summary for a side that arrived with genuine ambitions.
Tonight is the last time we get six simultaneous group-stage matches — after this, it's knockout football. Argentina closing out the group stage against Jordan, with Messi on the pitch one more time before the real tournament begins, is the image to hold onto.
