World Cup 2026 Round of 32 Predictions: July 3

The final three World Cup 2026 Round of 32 matches will be played on Friday, July 3 with countries looking to continue their journey to the championship round. Entering the knockout stage Argentina was positioned as the second favorite slightly behind France on the World Cup championship futures odds board. Lionel Messi is the front front-runner for the Golden Boot award after tallying six goals in group play.

Entering the World Cup as the Group H longshot, Cape Verde has become the fairytale story of the tournament. In their World Cup debut Cape Verde became the smallest nation to advance to the knockout stage earning three draws for second place in Group H. Ghana also surprised as a Group L wild card earning a point in a stunning 0-0 draw with England.

What Is the Round of 32 in the World Cup?

Soccer historians and experts might be asking, what is the Round of 32 at the World Cup? The Round of 32 is a completely new stage added when the World Cup field was expanded from 32 to 48 nations for this tournament. It serves as the first round of the knockout stage with the winners of the single-elimination matches advancing to the Round of 16.

How Teams Advance to the Round of 32

• Teams advance to the Round of 32 in one of three ways.
• Group stage winners and second place clubs from each of the 12 groups (24 total) qualify automatically.
• To fill out the field the eight third place teams with the best records also earn a spot in the Round of 32.

How the World Cup Round of 32 Bracket Works

• The World Cup Round of 32 bracket is determined by how clubs finish during the 3-match group stage.
• Teams fall into pre-assigned slots on the bracket depending on whether they finished first, second or as a best third-place team.
• Group winners are slotted against teams that had a worse finish. The wild cards are paired with eight group winners.

World Cup 2026 Round of 32 Matches Today

One nation will make history in what is predicted to be the closest match of the day. Australia and Egypt get the final day of Round of 32 World Cup 2026 action started at 2 p.m. ET in Texas. Both clubs are looking for their first ever World Cup knockout stage victory but dealing with ailments at the same time. Egypt went unbeaten in group play but lost the first-place tie-breaker to Belgium.

The middle game of the day is a real David vs. Goliath matchup with Argentina taking on Cape Verde. Argentina won all three group matches outscoring opponents 8-1 behind six goals from Messi. They entered the Round of 32 slightly behind France as the World Cup betting favorite. They are also a massive -610 favorite to advance.

While the odds aren’t as long as what Argentina boasts, Colombia is expected to dispose of Ghana to claim the final spot in the Round of 16. A 0-0 draw with heavily-favored England provided Ghana with the point needed to secure a wild card spot. The match kicks off at 9:30 ET in Kansas City.

Today’s Round of 32 World Cup Predictions

Australia is built to play close knockout stage matches using their physical presence in a workmanlike manner. Though they failed to score in their final two group matches, they had chances and suffocated opponents with their speed and gritty play. Fitness concerns for Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and others are enough to back the Aussies in the World Cup Round of 32 predictions.

There really is no scenario that sees Cape Verde or Ghana posting major upsets. That’s the beauty of sports, though. With nothing to lose you can expect the underdogs to play free and easy while also doing their best to match up against the game’s best. The results might be closer than expected, but in the end Argentina and Colombia are the better teams.

Australia vs. Egypt Prediction and Preview

Surprisingly several Australian players recently mentioned a revenge factor for their loss to Egypt in the Olympics a few years ago. Backed by a strong defensive line, the Australians are adept at eliminating space. They also play a heavy game wearing down opponents in the middle of the pitch. Those areas were on display in group, but the Aussies failed to finish scoring just twice with no goals in their last two group stage matches.

Egypt advanced through what turned out to be a weak group losing out on first place to Belgium with a worse goal-differential. They have shown to be more dynamic on the attack with five different players scoring, but they could be without Mohamed Salah, Ahmed Fattouh and Mohamed Abdelmonem severely impacting their roster.

Argentina vs. Cape Verde Prediction and Preview

This Round of 32 match brings together completely opposite sides of the international soccer universe. Defending World Cup champion Argentina are a massive soccer odds favorite to advance against the smallest nation to ever play a knockout stage game. The pressure is on Argentina as nothing short of a rout is expected. Argentina is in form with three dominant group wins and only one marker conceded.

There’s nothing more dangerous than a team playing with nothing to lose and without fear. The Blue Sharks went unbeaten in group, but they also failed to win a match instead playing to a draw in all three. Two scoreless draws showed Cape Verde is comfortable playing a tight low block and relying on goalie Vozinha to frustrate elite attackers.

Colombia vs. Ghana Prediction and Preview

Unbeaten with two wins and a draw to finish first in Group K, Colombia emerged as a big favorite against Group L wild card Ghana. Showing they are a legitimate dark horse contender, Colombia routed Uzbekistan, smothered DR Congo and played Portugal to a scoreless draw. They scored just four goals, but the defense was solid conceding just one in group play.

Ghana snuck into the Round of 32 on a third-place tie-breaker. Their defensive structure shut down England’s powerful attack earning an important point in the 0-0 deadlock. However, their 2-1 loss to Croatia exposed vulnerabilities in transition, an area that Colombia feels comfortable with. Ghana also created few chances offensively, scoring twice in group play.

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World Cup Round of 32 Bracket Outlook

While being more inclusive the new World Cup Round of 32 also allows for some major mismatches. What Cape Verde has accomplished is great for the game, but taking on powerhouse Argentina will end the dream. And the road to the quarterfinal looks smooth with Messi and Co. getting the winner of the Australia and Egypt match in the Round of 16.

Potential Paths to the Next Round

This is why winning your group is so advantageous. Argentina didn’t mess(i) around staying focused during group play. And as long as they have that edge they should be dialed in for a trip to the quarterfinals. The defending champs are huge favorites against Cinderella story Cape Verde and will also be heavily priced against the winner of the Australia/Egypt contest. And that match will be tightly contested wearing the winner down for their showdown with Argentina.

Matchups That Could Shape the Bracket

Upsets can and do happen. Nobody expected the 1980 US Men’s Olympic hockey team to beat the Russians, and they did in the greatest upset in sports history. Cape Verde and/or Ghana can shock the soccer world and the bracket with an upset in their World Cup Round of 32 matches.

Daily Round of 32 World Cup Summary

With a settled and deeper roster Colombia is better equipped to handle Ghana’s pressure and the Midwestern humidity that’s expected for their match. The World Cup Round of 32 predictions also has Cape Verde’s run coming to an end against a motivated and strong Argentina squad. In addition Egypt has fitness concerns about several players that are key to their success making them vulnerable.