OFFSIDE: A not-so-brief guide to the Round of 32 in World Cup 2026

Hello and welcome to another day of Offside. The group stages are done and dusted and now we get the business end of the tournament, the World Cup’s first-ever round of 32. And it has been a long ride so far as we’ve suffered through insane sleep deficit repetitive ads and some football. The calculations are in after the absurdist derby between Algeria and Austria – the lands that gave us Albert Camus and Franz Kafka – ended 3-3. Here’s everything you to know about the football so far:

Algeria

Algeria gave the world Albert Camus – a man so handsome as a philosopher that it was absurd – and they qualified in the most absurdist way possible. Their best World Cup finish remains the Round of 16 in 2014, when they dragged Germany into extra time and briefly made Joachim Löw look like a man reading his own electricity bill.

Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez (7) controls the ball during the World Cup Group J soccer match between Algeria and Austria in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Main Man: Riyad MahrezStill the velvet boot. Still the left foot that looks like it was designed by a calligrapher. His late goal against Austria briefly turned Group J into a legal thriller before Austria equalised and restored everyone’s blood pressure to merely dangerous levels.Talking PointDid Algeria accidentally stumble into a perfect draw? Finishing third gives them Switzerland instead of Spain, which is the sort of punishment downgrade most teams would happily accept without making eye contact.Who will they playSwitzerland in the Round of 32. If they win, they face Colombia or Ghana in the Round of 16.How far they can goRound of 16 is realistic. Quarter-finals if Switzerland finally misplace their tournament manual.Algeria have enough technical quality to bother Switzerland, but knockout football usually punishes teams who treat defensive control as an optional lifestyle choice.For dinner table conversations: Algeria came within seconds of knocking Austria out, then somehow ended up with the better draw anyway. Football remains deeply unserious.

Argentina

Argentina enter the knockouts as defending champions and Group J winners, because apparently Lionel Messi’s final act has decided to keep adding bonus chapters. Their best World Cup finish is, of course, champions in 1978, 1986 and 2022.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi trains for the World Cup soccer tournament Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Main ManLionel MessiStill. Somehow still. The man now exists less as a footballer and more as a recurring historical event.Talking PointArgentina are no longer the chaos merchants of old. They have tournament rhythm, enough cynicism, enough control and the last remaining player in world football who can turn a free-kick into a theological argument.Who will they playCape Verde in the Round of 32. If they win, they face Australia or Egypt in the Round of 16.How far they can goSemi-finals should be the expectation. The final is very much alive. Their early route is kind. The later rounds will ask whether this is still Messi’s team or a champion side that has learned to survive without needing miracles every evening.For dinner table conversations:Argentina’s draw looks like a red carpet, which is usually when football hides a banana peel underneath.

Australia

Australia have made the Round of 32 with the usual Socceroos package: discipline, running, bloody-mindedness and the spiritual certainty that every opponent can be turned into a set-piece problem. Their best World Cup finish is the Round of 16, reached in 2006 and 2022.Main ManJackson IrvineThe midfield metronome with the engine of a delivery app rider during dinner rush.Talking PointAustralia rarely look glamorous, which is fine because glamour has never won a second ball. The question is whether organisation and nerve can carry them past Egypt before the Argentina-sized wall appears.Who will they playEgypt in the Round of 32. If they win, they likely face Argentina, unless Cape Verde produce the tournament’s loudest miracle.How far they can goRound of 16 feels sensible. Quarter-finals would require a heroic amount of nuisance.Australia can beat Egypt. Beating Argentina is where the motivational speech meets physics.For dinner table conversations:Australia are everyone’s least convenient opponent, which is a compliment unless you are trying to enjoy football.

Austria

Austria survived Group J after a 3-3 draw with Algeria that went from polite arrangement to cardiac episode in the space of two stoppage-time minutes. Their best World Cup finish is third place in 1954.Main ManMarcel SabitzerThe connector, the runner, the man who makes Austria feel less like a press and more like a plan.Talking PointAustria finished second and got Spain, which is the sort of prize that makes third place suddenly look like wisdom. Still, Ralf Rangnick’s team are intense, awkward and capable of turning any match into a pressing drill with consequences.Who will they playSpain in the Round of 32. If they win, they face Portugal or Croatia in the Round of 16.How far they can goRound of 32 is the danger zone. Round of 16 would be an upset with receipts. Austria have the structure to irritate Spain, but irritating Spain and eliminating Spain are two different household appliances.For dinner table conversations:Austria escaped Algeria at 90+5 and were rewarded with Spain, because comedy is alive.

Belgium

Belgium are back in the knockouts, still talented, still suspiciously dramatic, still trying to prove the post-golden-generation era has more than nostalgia and De Bruyne’s calves. Their best World Cup finish is third place in 2018.Main ManKevin De BruyneBelgium’s ageing Wi-Fi router: occasionally creaky, still capable of connecting the whole house.Talking PointBelgium’s group stage lurched, then exploded with a 5-1 win over New Zealand. That is the Belgium condition: for long stretches, you wonder what the plan is, then suddenly there are four goals and everyone pretends they were calm.Who will they playSenegal in the Round of 32. If they win, they face United States or Bosnia and Herzegovina.How far they can goQuarter-finals are realistic. Semi-finals need one vintage night. Senegal are a serious test, and the next round is hardly soft. Belgium can still hurt anyone, provided they do not first hurt themselves.For dinner table conversations:Belgium remain the team most likely to look finished five minutes before scoring twice.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina have already made this World Cup historic by reaching the knockouts. Their previous best was the group stage in 2014, so this campaign has already become national football property.Main ManErmedin DemirovićThe attacking reference point, the worker, the man asked to make rare chances look like carefully designed opportunities.Talking PointThe problem with being the feel-good story is that the next chapter is usually written by someone faster, richer and playing at home. Bosnia now face the United States, which means emotion meets stadium noise.Who will they playUnited States in the Round of 32. If they win, they face Belgium or Senegal.

How far they can go

Round of 32 is already success. Round of 16 would be a proper heist. They are organised enough to make the US sweat, but the path quickly becomes unforgiving.For dinner table conversations:Bosnia’s World Cup is already a breakthrough; now comes the part where sentiment has to tackle Christian Pulisic.

Brazil

IntroBrazil have reached the knockouts with the usual burden: everyone else plays a tournament, Brazil carry a museum. Their best World Cup finish is champions five times: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.Main ManVinícius JúniorThe panic button for defenders, the winger who turns open grass into a crime scene.Talking PointBrazil’s group stage had anxiety, recovery and enough attacking threat to remind everyone that their ceiling is still absurd. The question is whether they have enough control behind the glitter.Who will they playJapan in the Round of 32. If they win, they face Ivory Coast or Norway.How far they can goSemi-finals should be the target. The final is possible. Their quadrant is navigable, but Japan are not decorative and Norway come with a Nordic siege weapon called Haaland.For dinner table conversations:Brazil’s biggest opponent is rarely the next team; it is the version of Brazil everyone thinks Brazil should be.

Canada

Canada have gone from polite host nation to credible knockout presence, which is a very North American way of making the guests uncomfortable. Their best World Cup finish before this was the group stage, so this is already new territory.Main ManAlphonso DaviesThe captain, the flyer, the man who makes the left flank feel like a runway.

Canada’s Alphonso Davies participates in a World Cup soccer training session in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monday, June 22, 2026. (Timothy Matwey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Talking PointCanada’s 6-0 demolition of Qatar gave their campaign lift, but the Switzerland defeat reminded them that knockout football tends to audit enthusiasm.Who will they playSouth Africa in the Round of 32. If they win, they face Netherlands or Morocco.How far they can goRound of 16 is realistic. Quarter-finals if home energy becomes a tactical system. South Africa are beatable. Netherlands or Morocco are where the exam paper gets cruel.For dinner table conversations:Canada have stopped looking like hosts and started looking like a team nobody wanted on the itinerary.

Cape Verde

Cape Verde are the tournament’s great underdog postcard: a tiny island nation, a team recruited on LinkedIn and a knockout place that already feels like folklore. This is their best World Cup finish by default, because this is their first proper walk into the global spotlight.

Cape Verde’s Helio Varela (26) celebrates with teammate Cape Verde’s Sidny Lopes Cabral (13) after scoring his team’s second goal during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Uruguay and Cape Verde in Miami Gardens, Fla., Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Main ManRyan MendesThe veteran heartbeat, still carrying enough calm to make the whole thing feel slightly less impossible.Talking PointA 0-0 with Spain and a 2-2 with Uruguay gave Cape Verde the sort of credibility most debutants spend decades chasing. Now they get Argentina, because fairytales also have villains with left feet.Who will they playArgentina in the Round of 32. If they win, they face Australia or Egypt.How far they can goRound of 32 is already historic. Anything more enters national-holiday territory. They can frustrate Argentina, but surviving Messi and friends would be one of the great World Cup shocks.For dinner table conversations:Cape Verde have already won the romance column; now they have to deal with the defending champions.

Colombia

Colombia arrive with swagger, width and just enough chaos to make neutrals lean forward. Their best World Cup finish is the quarter-finals in 2014.Main ManLuis DíazThe winger who plays as if the touchline personally insulted him.Talking PointColombia topped Group K without looking fully unleashed. That can be good news or a warning label. Knockout Colombia can be electric; knockout Colombia can also find the trapdoor.Who will they playGhana in the Round of 32. If they win, they face Switzerland or Algeria.How far they can goQuarter-finals are very possible. Semi-finals if the bracket opens and Díaz catches fire.Ghana are dangerous, but Colombia’s route is one of the more inviting ones outside the elite lane.For dinner table conversations:Colombia have the draw of a dark horse and the temperament of a team that may decide to gallop sideways.

Croatia

Croatia are back where they usually are: older than expected, calmer than expected and still impossible to bury. Their best World Cup finish is runners-up in 2018.Main ManLuka ModrićTime keeps coming for him. He keeps passing around it.Talking PointCroatia survived Group L because Croatia understand tournaments the way old lawyers understand loopholes. They rarely dominate the room, but they know exactly where the exits are.Who will they playPortugal in the Round of 32 . If they win, they face Spain or Austria.How far they can goRound of 16 is possible. Quarter-finals if the old magic returns. Portugal are a brutal first knockout assignment. Croatia will try to slow the match until it starts remembering 2018.For dinner table conversations:Croatia are the team that make age look like a tactical instruction.

DR Congo

DR Congo reached the knockouts by beating Uzbekistan 3-1, turning Group K into a proper comeback story. Their previous World Cup appearance came as Zaire in 1974, so this is already a historic leap.Main ManYoane WissaThe Premier League edge, the penalty-box instinct, the man England’s centre-backs would prefer to discuss only in theory.Talking PointDR Congo have momentum and emotion, which is lovely until you remember the next opponent is England with a billion pounds of attacking options and national neurosis.Who will they playEngland in the Round of 32. If they win, they face Mexico or Ecuador.How far they can goRound of 32 is the likely ceiling. Round of 16 if England remember they are England. There is a path to making this uncomfortable. There is also a path where England’s individual quality settles the matter early.For dinner table conversations:DR Congo’s job is simple: turn England’s expectation into England’s natural predator.

Ecuador

Ecuador have quietly become one of those sides nobody wants to explain away after losing to them. Their best World Cup finish is the Round of 16 in 2006.Main ManMoisés CaicedoMidfield security, ball-winning bite and the expression of a man permanently suspicious of loose passes.Talking PointEcuador’s 2-1 win over Germany was the signature result. That tells you they are capable of turning structure into damage, which is basically the entire knockout manual.Who will they playMexico in the Round of 32. If they win, they face England or DR Congo.How far they can goRound of 16 is realistic. Quarter-finals if they beat Mexico and drag England into mud. They have the midfield to make life awkward. The question is whether they have enough finishing edge.For dinner table conversations:Ecuador are the kind of team nobody fears in previews and everybody respects after 25 minutes.

Egypt

Egypt finally have a knockout stage to put alongside all that continental pedigree. Their previous World Cup best was the group stage, which made no sense for a football nation of their size.

Egypt’s Mohamed Salah (10) celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the World Cup Group G soccer match between New Zealand and Egypt in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Peterson)

Main ManMohamed SalahStill the reference point, still the gravity, still the man who makes every Egyptian attack feel like it has a famous ending available.Talking PointEgypt’s group campaign was about survival with flashes of authority. Australia is winnable. Argentina after that is where ambition meets a locked museum door.Who will they playAustralia in the Round of 32.If they win, they likely face Argentina.How far they can goRound of 16 is very possible. Quarter-finals require a Salah epic.Australia is a fair fight. Argentina is a historical problem wearing boots.For dinner table conversations:Egypt’s route says: first win the wrestling match, then go argue with Messi.

England

England arrive with Champions League legs, Premier League lungs and the emotional baggage of every tournament since 1966. Their best World Cup finish remains champions in 1966.

England’s Harry Kane celebrates his team’s victory over Panama in the World Cup Group L soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Main ManHarry KaneJude Bellingham is the pulse, but Kane is still England’s scoreboard insurance policy.Talking PointHave England clicked, or have they merely qualified with better upholstery? Croatia suggested freedom. Ghana brought back the national trauma department. Panama was professional, which is a nice way of saying nobody throws a parade for doing the obvious.Who will they playDR Congo in the Round of 32.If they win, they face Mexico or Ecuador.How far they can goQuarter-finals should be the floor. Semi-finals feel realistic. The final is possible if the midfield behaves like a midfield instead of a parliamentary debate.For dinner table conversations:England have the draw of a contender and the emotional temperature of a country waiting for someone to mention penalties.

France

France have reached the knockouts looking powerful, deep and mildly annoyed that the rest of the tournament has been allowed to continue. Their best World Cup finish is champions in 1998 and 2018.Main ManKylian MbappéStill the fast-forward button. Still the player who makes defenders look like they are buffering.Talking PointFrance’s 4-1 win over Norway was the reminder. They can absorb, accelerate and finish matches before opponents realise the mood has changed.Who will they playSweden in the Round of 32.If they win, they face Germany or Paraguay.How far they can goFinal contender. Anything before the semi-finals would be failure by French standards.The Germany/Sweden side of the draw is tricky, but France have the squad depth of a state-owned project.For dinner table conversations:France are the team everyone measures themselves against, which is irritating because they know it.

Germany

Germany opened with seven against Curaçao, then discovered the tournament had other moods. Their best World Cup finish is champions in 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014.Main ManFlorian WirtzThe creative hinge, the elegant problem-solver, the player Germany need when order alone stops working.Talking PointGermany’s defeat to Ecuador put a warning sticker on the campaign. The machine is dangerous, but the machine has been known to cough.Who will they playParaguay in the Round of 32.If they win, they face France or Sweden.How far they can goQuarter-finals are expected. Semi-finals if they survive France.Paraguay should be manageable. France is the sort of match that turns old German certainty into new German spreadsheets.For dinner table conversations:Germany can still look like Germany, but occasionally they now look like someone trying to reboot Germany.

Ghana

Ghana are back in the knockouts with enough energy, athleticism and World Cup memory to make everyone nervous. Their best World Cup finish is the quarter-finals in 2010.Main ManMohammed KudusThe chaos artist. Give him space and he makes defenders start bargaining with their gods.Talking PointGhana beat Panama, drew England and fought Croatia. They are battle-tested, which sounds like a compliment until Colombia’s wingers start running at you.Who will they playColombia in the Round of 32.If they win, they face Switzerland or Algeria.How far they can goRound of 16 is very reachable. Quarter-finals if Kudus turns the tie into a personal project.For dinner table conversations:Ghana are one good attacking night away from becoming everyone’s dangerous outsider again.

Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast have finally taken their heavyweight African pedigree into the World Cup knockouts. Their previous best was the group stage, so this already marks a step forward.Main ManFranck KessiéThe midfield stabiliser, the penalty-box ghost, the man who brings grown-up authority to a team full of running.Talking PointThe win over Germany did not come, but beating Ecuador and Curaçao was enough to keep them moving. Now comes Norway, which is really a team plus a Norse weather warning.Who will they playNorway in the Round of 32.If they win, they face Brazil or Japan.How far they can goRound of 16 is realistic. Quarter-finals if they survive Haaland and catch Brazil/Japan cold.For dinner table conversations:Ivory Coast’s reward for making history is Erling Haaland, because the World Cup has a dark sense of humour.

Japan

Japan are no longer a plucky technical side. They are a proper World Cup team with patterns, confidence and the ability to make giants uncomfortable. Their best finish is the Round of 16, reached multiple times.Main ManTakefusa KuboThe left-footed lockpick, all angles, tempo changes and defenders suddenly checking over the wrong shoulder.Talking PointJapan’s 4-0 win over Tunisia showed their precision. The draw with Sweden showed their resilience. Brazil now asks whether precision can survive samba-speed punishment.Who will they playBrazil in the Round of 32. If they win, they face Ivory Coast or Norway.How far they can goRound of 32 is brutal. Quarter-finals if they beat Brazil, because after that fear becomes someone else’s problem.For dinner table conversations:Japan against Brazil is technique versus mythology, which is a very stylish way to suffer.

Mexico enter the knockouts as co-hosts, group winners and emotional custodians of the tournament’s noise. Their best World Cup finish is the quarter-finals in 1970 and 1986.

Mexico’s Santiago Gimenez (11) and Czechia’s Robin Hranac (4) challenge for the ball during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Czechia and Mexico in Mexico City, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko )

Main ManSantiago GiménezThe striker asked to turn national volume into something more practical: goals.Talking PointMexico’s defence has held up, the crowd has carried them, and the draw gives them a real chance to reach the last 16. After that, England may be waiting, which is less a match and more a multinational anxiety exchange.Who will they playEcuador in the Round of 32.If they win, they face England or DR Congo.How far they can goRound of 16 is realistic. Quarter-finals if home advantage becomes a weather system.For dinner table conversations:Mexico at home are less a team than a stadium with boots.

Morocco

Morocco return to the knockouts with the muscle memory of 2022, when they turned belief into a semi-final run. Their best World Cup finish is fourth place in 2022.Main ManAchraf HakimiFull-back, winger, sprinter, emotional accelerant.Talking PointMorocco’s 4-2 win over Haiti and draw with Brazil suggest they still know how to manage big occasions. The Netherlands, however, are the sort of opponent who test whether old magic still has battery.Who will they playNetherlands in the Round of 32.If they win, they face South Africa or Canada.How far they can goQuarter-finals are possible. Semi-finals if 2022 sends a sequel.For dinner table conversations:Morocco have done the impossible once, which is exactly how teams become dangerous instead of romantic.

Netherlands

The Netherlands have scored, conceded, entertained and generally behaved like a Dutch side that cannot decide whether to be clinical or philosophical. Their best World Cup finish is runners-up in 1974, 1978 and 2010.Main ManXavi SimonsThe spark, the connector, the player who gives Dutch possession a pulse.Talking PointThe 5-1 win over Sweden showed the ceiling. The Japan draw showed the gap between idea and execution. Morocco now presents a familiar World Cup hazard: a team with structure and emotional memory.Who will they playMorocco in the Round of 32.If they win, they face South Africa or Canada.How far they can goQuarter-finals should be the target. Semi-finals if the defence behaves.For dinner table conversations:The Dutch are always one tactical adjustment away from brilliance and one defensive lapse away from group therapy.

Norway

Norway are back in the World Cup knockouts with a simple tactical philosophy: find the large man who scores all the goals. Their best World Cup finish is the Round of 16 in 1998.Main ManErling HaalandA goalscorer built like a bridge support and programmed like a tax demand.Talking PointNorway have goals, directness and Haaland. That is both a plan and a cheat code. The issue is whether they can control games when opponents stop feeding the monster.Who will they playIvory Coast in the Round of 32.If they win, they face Brazil or Japan.How far they can goRound of 16 is realistic. Quarter-finals if Haaland turns the tournament into a personal tax collection drive.For dinner table conversations:Norway’s entire World Cup can be reduced to one question: can you stop the big blond inevitability?

Paraguay

Paraguay have reached the knockouts by doing Paraguay things: staying alive, narrowing games, and making the scoreboard feel like a negotiation. Their best World Cup finish is the quarter-finals in 2010.Main ManJulio EncisoThe creative wildcard, capable of turning a quiet match into a sudden insurance claim.Talking PointParaguay’s draw with Australia and win over Turkey got them through. Germany now offers a much harsher proposition: can they keep a giant frustrated long enough to make doubt useful?Who will they playGermany in the Round of 32.If they win, they face France or Sweden.How far they can goRound of 32 is the likely stop. Round of 16 if Germany malfunction.For dinner table conversations:Paraguay’s path is Germany then maybe France, which is less a draw and more a dare.

Portugal

Portugal have topped Group K, but the draw has not exactly rolled out velvet. Their best World Cup finish is third place in 1966.Main ManCristiano RonaldoThe gravity remains ridiculous. Even when Portugal have other stars, the tournament still bends towards him. But could he let them down?

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the World Cup Group K soccer match between Portugal and Congo in Houston, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Talking PointPortugal have the squad to go deep, but their route screams premium subscription. Croatia first, then potentially Spain. Nobody reaches the quarter-finals here without paying emotional tax.Who will they playCroatia in the Round of 32. If they win, they face Spain or Austria.How far they can goQuarter-finals are realistic. Semi-finals if they survive the Iberian/Croatian minefield.For dinner table conversations:Portugal’s draw looks like someone asked UEFA to design a trap.

Senegal

Senegal blasted into the knockouts with a 5-0 win over Iraq, which is a useful reminder that they remain one of Africa’s most dangerous tournament teams. Their best World Cup finish is the quarter-finals in 2002.Main ManSadio ManéThe old talisman, still carrying enough aura to make defenders treat him like breaking news.Talking PointSenegal can be physical, quick and ruthless. Belgium will test whether they can control big moments rather than merely create them.Who will they playBelgium in the Round of 32.If they win, they face United States or Bosnia and Herzegovina.How far they can goQuarter-finals are realistic. Semi-finals if the bracket opens and Mané gets one more great World Cup night.For dinner table conversations:Senegal against Belgium is heritage versus residue: one team rising, one team refusing to fade.

South Africa

South Africa have reached the knockouts with a 1-0 win over South Korea doing the heavy lifting. Their previous best was the group stage, including as hosts in 2010.Main ManTeboho MokoenaThe midfield anchor with range, bite and the occasional shot that arrives like an unpaid bill.Talking PointSouth Africa’s campaign has been about discipline and survival. Canada will be a physical, fast, noisy test, especially with the tournament being played in North America.Who will they playCanada in the Round of 32.If they win, they face Netherlands or Morocco.How far they can goRound of 32 is a fair ceiling. Round of 16 if they turn Canada’s home energy against them.For dinner table conversations:South Africa are already into new territory; now they have to make Canada feel like the away team.

Spain

Spain topped Group H with control, patience and enough young talent to make the rest of Europe feel elderly. Their best World Cup finish is champions in 2010.Main ManLamine YamalThe teenage cheat code, all balance, nerve and the unsettling calm of someone too young to know what pressure is meant to feel like.Talking PointSpain have moved from beautiful theory to proper tournament threat again. Austria will press them. Portugal or Croatia may wait after that. This is where pretty football has to start carrying a knife.Who will they playAustria in the Round of 32.If they win, they face Portugal or Croatia.How far they can goSemi-finals should be the ambition. The final is there if the kids keep playing like adults.For dinner table conversations:Spain’s problem is no longer passing endlessly; it is that everyone now believes the passes are going somewhere.

Sweden

Sweden survived a group that included Netherlands and Japan, which already tells you they have steel. Their best World Cup finish is runners-up in 1958.Main ManAlexander IsakThe elegant striker, all long limbs, soft feet and sudden violence in the box.Talking PointSweden’s 5-1 win over Tunisia showed firepower, but the Netherlands defeat showed the limits. France now arrives with the kind of squad depth that makes honest teams feel underfunded.Who will they playFrance in the Round of 32.If they win, they face Germany or Paraguay.How far they can goRound of 32 is the hard truth. Round of 16 if Isak produces a cold Nordic robbery.For dinner table conversations:Sweden have the striker to scare France, which is useful until France bring on three more starters from the bench.

Switzerland

Switzerland are the tournament’s great administrative menace: organised, experienced, difficult to beat and about as emotionally generous as an airport security line. Their best World Cup finish is the quarter-finals, reached in 1934, 1938 and 1954.Main ManGranit XhakaThe metronome, the organiser, the man who can make a 1-0 win feel like a constitutional procedure.Talking PointSwitzerland topped Group B and now get Algeria, who have talent, momentum and defensive mood swings. This is the kind of tie Switzerland tend to turn into a paperwork exercise.Who will they playAlgeria in the Round of 32.If they win, they face Colombia or Ghana.How far they can goQuarter-finals are very possible. Semi-finals if they bore the bracket into submission.For dinner table conversations:Switzerland are the team nobody wants to lose to because afterwards it always feels like they followed the rules better.

United States

The United States are into the knockouts on home soil, which means every match now comes with crowd noise, commercial optimism and the vague sense that someone is measuring football in television ratings. Their best World Cup finish is third place in 1930.

United States’ Christian Pulisic attends a training session ahead of a FIFA World Cup match against Turkey in Irvine, Calif., Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Main ManDonald Trump Christian PulisicCaptain America, still asked to be winger, scorer, creator and national mood ring.Talking PointThe US started fast, then lost to Turkey, which helpfully prevented the hype machine from overheating completely. Bosnia is winnable. Belgium or Senegal after that is the grown-up table.Who will they playBosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.If they win, they face Belgium or Senegal.How far they can goRound of 16 should be expected. Quarter-finals would be a statement. Semi-finals would break the internet, ESPN and several old European assumptions at once.For dinner table conversations:The US have home advantage, a kind draw and just enough defensive vulnerability to keep the whole thing American.OFFSIDE RECAP:OFFSIDE 1: A Day of Only Draws after 68 yearsOFFSIDE 2: Messi, Mbappe, Haaland and the Day of SuperstarsOFFSIDE 3: Portugal need to put ‘GOAT’ Ronaldo out to pastureOFFSIDE 4: Canadian joy, Brazilian anxiety, and Nike’s unofficial winOFFSIDE 5: Why Brazil may need ugly football and how USA became unofficial world championsOFFSIDE 6: Football’s tryst with toxic patriarchy and masculinity on Father’s DayOFFSIDE 7: Lamine Yamal restores Spain’s soul, Cape Verde’s fairytale run continues and Ronaldo fanboys go full toxicOFFSIDE 8: ‘Dictator’ Kylian Mbappé chases ‘GOAT’ Lionel Messi’s scoring record as Cristiano Ronaldo looks for redemptionOFFSIDE 9: Sir Alex Ferguson’s favourite lieutenant robs England of its roarOFFSIDE 10: Too many goals at World Cup 2026? Wait for the knockout rounds…OFFSIDE 11: Manners maketh man: Can good behaviour help a team qualify for Round of 32?