Seventy-two games down, thirty-two to go. The group stage is done, and what a ride it was: records broken, underdog stories aplenty, a Golden Boot race for the ages and a fair share of controversy along the way.
Seven of the eight best third-placed teams needed four points just to squeeze through, proving the supercomputers wrong once again. Now the knockout stage begins, packed with blockbuster match-ups, fairytale stories and enough subplots to keep you watching every minute. Here is why each of the 16 ties is worth your time.
Sunday, 29 June
South Africa v Canada, Los Angeles, 1:00am
Uncharted territory for both sides, who have never previously reached the knockouts. Canada may be playing away from home, but expect their fans to travel in numbers to Los Angeles.
Brazil v Japan, Houston, 11:00pm
Stars against system. Few fixtures scream World Cup quite like this one. Japan beat the five-time champions 3-2 last October and will be looking to avenge a 4-1 group-stage defeat from 2006, twenty years on.
Monday, 30 June
Germany v Paraguay, Boston, 2:30am
Paraguay face Germany seeking revenge for a 1-0 last-16 defeat in 2002, with the prospect of a tie against France looming for the winner.
Netherlands v Morocco, Monterrey, 7:00am
This could be the tie of the round. The Netherlands, many people’s tournament favourites, take on a Morocco side who reached the semi-finals four years ago and have since added sought-after 18-year-old wonderkid Ayyoub Bouaddi to their midfield.
Ivory Coast v Norway, Dallas, 11:00pm
Unstoppable force meets immovable object: Erling Haaland against an Ivory Coast defence that did not concede in ten qualifiers. The only certainty is Norway’s fans Viking-rowing their way into Dallas.
Tuesday, 1 July
France v Sweden, New Jersey, 3:00am
France’s attacking riches are well documented, but the most intriguing battle may be at the other end: Viktor Gyokeres against Arsenal team-mate William Saliba. Two Premier League champions, one winner.
Mexico v Ecuador, Mexico City, 7:00am
Mexico at the Azteca is always a spectacle, and this one comes with the added bonus of a potential scouting report on England’s last-16 opponents, ready before breakfast.
England v DR Congo, Atlanta, 10:00pm
The Three Lions’ only family-friendly kick-off of the tournament. Thomas Tuchel’s side will be looking to build momentum after a strong group stage.
Wednesday, 2 July
Belgium v Senegal, Seattle, 2:00am
Both sides saved their best for the final round of group games. There are signs of life in Belgium’s golden generation, while Senegal, officially the weakest third-placed qualifier, still managed eight goals against France, Norway and Iraq, with their off-field distractions now seemingly behind them.
USA v Bosnia-Herzegovina, San Francisco, 6:00am
Not quite the 4th of July, but the co-hosts head to San Francisco Bay in confident mood despite a narrow dead-rubber defeat to Turkey. They face a Bosnia side who may have edged out Italy in qualifying but failed to turn heads in the group stage.
Thursday, 3 July
Spain v Austria, Los Angeles, 1:00am
A likely clash of styles: fit-again Lamine Yamal and the European champions against a direct Austria side who squeezed through in the dying seconds of their final group game.
Portugal v Croatia, Toronto, 5:00am
The last dance? With Luka Modric at 40 and Cristiano Ronaldo at 41, one of their World Cup careers will almost certainly end in the early hours of Friday morning.
Switzerland v Algeria, Vancouver, 9:00am
Thirteen World Cups, just four group-stage exits. Switzerland are perennial survivors, but they are yet to win a knockout game in eight attempts. Algeria, meanwhile, possess 20-year-old Ibrahim Maza, a talent so highly regarded he has already been dubbed “Mazadona.”
Friday, 4 July
Australia v Egypt, Dallas, 12:00am
Mohamed Salah’s pursuit of Egypt’s all-time scoring record is a compelling subplot, made all the more remarkable by the fact that the man whose record he is chasing, Hossam Hassan, is now his manager and substituted him with 12 minutes to go in their last match when Salah was one goal short.
Argentina v Cape Verde, Miami, 4:00am
Six-goal Lionel Messi against 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha may look like the tournament’s most lopsided match-up on paper, but the veteran stopper has already kept two clean sheets and become a national icon this summer.
Colombia v Ghana, Kansas City, 7:30am
A World Cup tie that promises to engage every sense. Colombia’s passionate fans have packed out stadiums in yellow throughout the group stage, and Ghana’s supporters are unlikely to be outdone.
