World Cup Round of 32 Begins: England vs Congo DR, USA vs Bosnia and Argentina vs Cape Verde This Week

[DiamondDallas]

The FIFA World Cup knockout stage begins on Sunday June 28 with Canada facing South Africa in the day's opening match. The week ahead contains some of the tournament's most anticipated matchups. England face Congo DR in Atlanta on July 1 in what on paper looks like the most accessible path possible from Group L's top spot but presents the genuine threat of Yoane Wissa. The USA face Bosnia and Herzegovina at Levi's Stadium in San Francisco on July 1, their first knockout game at a home tournament and the tie Christian Pulisic and team have been preparing for. Argentina take on Cape Verde in Miami on July 3 in one of the most absurd mismatches in World Cup knockout history on paper, though Cape Verde's three draws and historic qualification make them neutrals' favourites for an upset.

The round of 32 also features Spain versus Austria on July 2 in Los Angeles, where Austria arrive as group stage survivors playing above their expectations and Spain come in as one of the tournament's top three favourites. Portugal face Croatia in Toronto on the same day in what looks like the most technically sophisticated round of 32 match on the schedule. France play Sweden on June 30 at MetLife Stadium. Germany face Algeria in Vancouver on July 2.

The knockout stage format under the new Wimbledon-style seeding means group winners have been kept apart from each other and the path to the final involves a graded increase in difficulty. England's potential opponents going forward from the round of 32 would be Belgium or Senegal in the last 16, avoiding Portugal, Spain, France and Argentina until the semi-finals at the earliest. The bracket gives the England camp genuine reason for optimism if they beat Congo DR convincingly.

2026 World Cup: How teams advanced to the knockout roundswww.espn.com

[Ella10]

Canada vs South Africa today is the game that almost nobody outside those two countries is watching but it is a historic match: two nations who have never been to a World Cup knockout stage before, playing each other to see who advances

[Faded Ross]

England vs Congo DR at 5pm BST on Wednesday July 1 is the game the whole of England will watch after what has been an extraordinary few days of sport. The Stokes farewell on Monday, the Women's cricket semi-final on Tuesday, then England's knockout campaign begins

[ReacherBadger]

USA vs Bosnia in San Francisco is the game the American football public has been building toward. Pulisic back fit, home crowd, first knockout stage. If USMNT can beat Bosnia and make the last 16 of a home World Cup the atmosphere will be extraordinary

[NeverQuitRoss81]

Argentina vs Cape Verde in Miami is going to be the most watched mismatch of the round. The neutrals will be cheering for Vozinha and the three-draw qualifiers to produce something impossible against Messi and Scaloni's machine

[Connor82]

France vs Sweden on June 30 is the game where we find out if Sweden can actually compete with the tournament favourites. Dembele has been magnificent and France will not take Sweden lightly after the group stage showed how upsets happen

[Tracey]

Portugal vs Croatia is the game for football purists. Ronaldo needing a big performance, Modric having what could be his last major game, Sucic and the young Croatian generation trying to end the Modric era with one last incredible result

[Rashford49]

Germany vs Algeria is the game I am least certain about. Germany have been excellent in the group stage but Algeria came through one of the most dramatic group stage games of the tournament and will be full of belief. European favourites versus North African energy always produces surprises

[Taker04]

Is it on itv or bbc?