Rest day before World Cup semifinals as France meets Spain and Argentina faces England
FIFA clarified the expanded 48-team format and the knockout criteria, noting that the top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed sides would advance to a round of 32, according to Al Jazeera. The BBC explained that head-to-head results, goal difference and a conduct score would be used to rank teams for those spots. Al Jazeera later reported that Mexico, the United States and Germany had secured round-of-32 berths, while Haiti, Turkey and Tunisia were eliminated after the group stage. Yahoo Sports observed that, with the final group matches underway, several nations had already clinched places in the round of 32 and others were still vying for the remaining slots. Al Jazeera added that twelve nations had qualified for the round of 32, leaving eight teams eliminated. Yahoo Sports noted that the group phase was winding down as more nations confirmed progression to the knockout round. AP News indicated that eight teams still contested the final four spots for the round of 32, while co-hosts United States, Canada and Mexico were already through. FOX Sports projected the round-of-32 matchups with 16 opening games slated to begin on June 28, as reported in its schedule preview. Yahoo Sports announced that the knockout stage would start on June 28 with 32 teams playing across North America, followed by the round of 16 and later rounds through July 19. Al Jazeera confirmed the same schedule, stating that the pre-set knockout bracket would run from the opening round to the final.
The Ringer highlighted the key storylines for the round of 32, including Argentina’s favorable path and Germany’s tough draw. Yahoo Sports recapped dramatic round-of-32 finishes, noting two penalty shootouts, three stoppage-time goals and an upset in which Paraguay eliminated Germany. FOX Sports listed the July 3 round-of-32 fixtures, featuring Argentina versus Cape Verde, Colombia versus Ghana and Australia versus Egypt, all to be shown on FOX. Yahoo Sports later released the round-of-16 schedule, confirming that 16 teams remained and that the co-hosts were still in contention. Yahoo Sports ranked the Mexico-England clash as the top round-of-16 encounter, with France-Paraguay at the bottom of the list. USA Today projected the quarter-final matchups, indicating that they would be played at MetLife Stadium in mid-July. Yahoo Sports detailed the quarter-final schedule, showing eight teams competing in four matches between July 9 and 11, with semifinals and the final set for later July dates. Sports Illustrated confirmed the eight nations that had reached the quarterfinal stage. Yahoo Sports reported that France, Spain, England and defending champion Argentina had advanced to the semifinals, setting up the two penultimate contests. FOX Sports noted that Day 32 served as a rest day before those semifinals, with France slated to face Spain and Argentina to meet England, and that the matches would be broadcast on FOX.
