World Cup Matchday 3 viewer’s guide: The final group games you should care about for Round of 32

The United States and Mexico are among those able to rest easy heading into the final round of group games.

They’re through to the knockout stages and have been confirmed as the winners of Groups A and D, respectively, theoretically securing a smoother passage to the knockout stages.

But that’s only in theory. At the first 48-team World Cup, where the top two from each of the 12 four-team groups will be topped up in the second round by the eight best third-place finishers, there are an awful lot of moving parts to slot into place.

Under FIFA rules, the final round of games in each group must take place simultaneously. At times, it can feel hard to know where to look.

But fear not, we’ve picked out four matches you’d be a fool to miss.

2026 WORLD CUP HQ: Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup tickets

The weird, repeating one-sided rivalry

Group C: Scotland vs. Brazil (Wednesday, 6 p.m. ET)

Scotland has competed at eight previous World Cups and fallen at the group stage every time. A point from their final round robin match this time around will virtually guarantee a place in the Round of 32. Even a narrow defeat might be enough for the Tartan Army after they beat Haiti 1-0 in their first match and lost by the same scoreline to Morocco last time out.

The problem is the opponents on Wednesday. Five-time world champions Brazil. Weirdly, this is the fifth time Scotland have been drawn alongside the Selecao in nine tournaments. After a 0-0 draw in 1974, they lost 4-1 in 1982, 1-0 in 1990 and 2-1 in 1998. They have to beat them sometime, right?

Brazil need a result themselves. After an entertaining 1-1 draw with Morocco in their opening match, Carlo Ancelotti’s team might need to win handsomely as the Atlas Lions do their thing against already-eliminated Haiti in Atlanta.

Getty Images

The U.S. rooting against Spain’s Bielsa revenge

Group H: Uruguay vs. Spain (Friday, 8 p.m. ET)

European champions Spain have had a tough time at the World Cup since their lone success in 2010. The lowest moment came in 2014, when they were dumped out two games into their title defence.

Marcelo Bielsa’s vibrant Chile side dealt the final blow as they beat La Roja 2-0, a scoreline that flattered the bedraggled beaten side. Esteemed coach Bielsa is yet to summon similar magic with Uruguay 12 years later, and his team have disappointed across back-to-back draws with Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde.

But this is still a marquee encounter between two historic powers of world soccer. If Uruguay could get a result to deny Spain top spot in Group H, it would be cheered by United States fans. As things stand, the US and Spain are set to land in the same half of the knockout bracket, on a collision course for a quarterfinal meeting in Inglewood on July 10. If Spain comes second, they are no longer an American problem.

MORE: Teams to qualify for Round of 32 | Updated group scenarios for every team

The Galacticos showdown

Group I: France vs. Norway (Friday, 3 p.m. ET)

«Honestly, I don’t care too much [about the France game],» Erling Haaland told Fox Sports. «We’re through, we managed to get through, which is incredible. So I couldn’t care too much about that game now. They [France] are probably going to win against us, they’re probably going to win the whole tournament.»

Don’t listen to him, people. The big goal machine freak is bluffing. Haaland and France star Kylian Mbappe have four goals each across their first two games of the competition and are racing clear as their country’s all-time top scorers. Mbappe has the all-time World Cup record in his sights and will join Lionel Messi in going beyond previous leader Miroslav Klose with his next goal.

France and Norway are both through, and the Group I winner will face a potential last-16 clash with Germany. The incentives to finish top could certainly be stronger, and expect both teams to make a few changes. But three wins out of three, with momentum maintained, is something to aim for. Mbappe and Haaland will be ready and raring to continue their Golden Boot chase, and New York provides the perfect stage.

WORLD CUP GROUP STANDINGS:

The one that might look like soccer from that Simpsons episode

Group I: Algeria vs. Austria (Saturday, 10 p.m. ET)

In season six, episode nine of The Simpsons, a torpid international soccer showdown between Portugal and Mexico at Springfield Stadium was so boring it caused a riot. Spare a thought for the locals in Kansas on Saturday, where Algeria and Austria meet in a Group J match that, arguably, no one will want to win.

Argentina have sealed top spot in the section by beating both Algeria and Austria. The European side is currently second, ahead of the North Africans on goal difference. Both teams have beaten Jordan, who are eliminated.

A straightforward shootout for second place, right? Well, maybe not. Assuming Spain takes care of business against Uruguay and wraps up top spot in Group H, the Group J runner-up will be the next game for Luis de la Fuente’s side. As things stand, a draw for Algeria would almost certainly give them one of the best third-place spots and a game against someone other than Spain.

Now, competitive instinct will almost certainly kick in, and there is nothing to suggest either team will operate below the expected levels of integrity. This match does give a delicious call-back to World Cup history, though. At the 1982 World Cup, West Germany and Austria appeared to contrive a draw in their final group match, a result that saw them both progress at Algeria’s expense. It was a game inked into World Cup infamy and is known to this day as «The Disgrace of Gijon».

The carve-up in Kansas? We’ll have to wait and see…

World Cup Matchday 3 viewer’s guide: The final group games you should care about for Round of 32

The weird, repeating one-sided rivalry

The U.S. rooting against Spain’s Bielsa revenge

The Galacticos showdown

The one that might look like soccer from that Simpsons episode

Comments