The World Cup is half over, with 54
of 104 matches complete. And the drama is just getting started
[June 25, 2026]
By TIM REYNOLDS
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) It's halftime at the World Cup. Take a
break, everyone.
Wednesday marked the midpoint of the 104-match tournament
technically, just past the midpoint, with 54 matches now in the
books and 50 remaining before a World Cup champion is crowned in
East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.
The U.S. has reached the Round of 32, which shouldn't be surprising.
Mexico and Canada, the other host nations for this biggest World Cup
in history, are also through to the knockout stage. And the stars
are positively shining: Argentina's Lionel Messi has five goals to
kick-start what he hopes is a run toward a second consecutive World
Cup title. France's Kylian Mbappι has four, as do Norway's Erling
Haaland and Brazil's Vinicius Jϊnior.
Stadiums are mostly filled; FIFA is touting record attendance. And
there have been some feel-good stories, most notably the tale of
Cape Verde goalie Vozinha and how his mother was able to come to
this World Cup.
The best is yet to come, FIFA President Gianni Infantino told SNTV
earlier this week.
In other words, the second half of this tournament just like the
second half of matches is when things might get really good.
Who's in
Through Wednesday's games, 13 teams have clinched spots in the Round
of 32.
Mexico won Group A, Switzerland won Group B, Brazil won Group C, the
U.S. won Group D, Germany won Group E and Argentina won Group J.
France, Norway, Canada, Morocco, Colombia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
and South Africa also are assured of moving into the knockout stage.
I know how it feels, but it's very difficult to explain how it
feels, South Africa coach Hugo Broos said after his team clinched
its first-ever appearance in the knockout stage. I'm very happy for
the guys.
Who's out
A handful of teams already know they'll be among the 16 that don't
survive the group stage and reach the Round of 32.
The Czech Republic, Haiti, Turkey, Tunisia, Jordan, Qatar and Panama
are certain to not advance.
Still hoping
With 13 teams into the knockout round and seven eliminated, that
leaves 28 teams for 19 remaining spots in the Round of 32.
Some key matches left:
Australia-Paraguay is a win-and-you're-in game.
A winner of Japan-Sweden would be assured a Round of 32 spot, as
would a winner of Austria-Algeria.
Tiny Cape Verde would be into the knockout round with a win over
Saudi Arabia.
Colombia-Portugal will decide the winner of Group K.
The U.S. path
This much is clear: The only match the U.S. might play in the
Eastern time zone will be the World Cup final.
The Americans will begin the Round of 32 in Santa Clara, California,
on July 1. If they win, they'll go to Seattle for the Round of 16.
Win that, and it'll be off to Inglewood, California, for the
quarterfinals. Win that, and Arlington, Texas, will be calling for
the semifinals.
The most likely opponent for the U.S. in the Round of 32 is Bosnia
and Herzegovina. After that, it would seem likely that Egypt could
be waiting.
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France's Ousmane Dembele (7) celebrates with Kylian Mbappe (10)
after scoring their third goal during the World Cup Group I soccer
match between France and Iraq in Philadelphia, Monday, June 22,
2026. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
What happens now (or starting Sunday)
Once group play ends, the drama really begins.
It's called the knockout stage for a reason if you don't win in
this round, you're knocked out of the tournament. (The only time
that won't apply is the semifinals, since the losers of those games
will get sent to Miami Gardens, Florida, to decide third place.)
A team will have to win five elimination games to win the World Cup
title.
Scoring is up
Everybody should have predicted that the record for total goals in a
World Cup would get smashed in this tournament. After all, there are
104 matches in this event, compared with just 64 matches in the
format that was used over the previous seven World Cups.
And the record for most goals will fall, almost certainly on
Thursday or Friday. There were 172 scored at Qatar four years ago;
there have been 161 goals through 54 matches so far this year.
But what is noteworthy in this tournament is that scoring per game
is at its highest level in more than 50 years 2.98 goals per
match.
An average of 2.81 goals per match were scored at Spain in 1982,
2.97 goals per match at Mexico in 1970, and 3.60 goals per match at
Sweden in 1958.
That said, this year's games have been defensive battles compared to
what happened in 1954 in Switzerland, when games featured a
staggering 5.38 goals on average. That tournament included a game
with a 7-5 final score, still the highest-scoring game in mens
World Cup history.
The pace
By the end of Day 17 of the World Cup on Saturday, 72 matches will
be done, 32 will remain. That's the day the group stage ends and the
knockout stage where every match until the semifinals is of the
win-or-go-home variety begins.
And then things slow down. A bit, anyway.
There is only one Round of 32 game on the schedule for Sunday
South Africa vs. Canada at Los Angeles. Things pick up again after
that and matches are planned every day until July 8. That means the
tournament will have 27 consecutive days of play before everyone
gets a day off.
A rematch?
Argentina and France gave us an epic World Cup final in 2022. It's
not outside of the realm that we get a rematch this year; the way
the bracket is looking at this point (and this could easily change),
they should be on opposite sides, making a collision in the final
possible.
Argentina has five goals through its first two matches, and Messi
who turned 39 on Wednesday has all five of them. Messi now has 18
goals in World Cup play, an all-time record.
When Argentina plays in the Round of 32, Messi will basically get a
home game in Miami. It won't be at the stadium that he and Inter
Miami call home, but it will be in Miami Gardens and in what has
been his home market for the last three years since he came to MLS.
Mbappe has four goals for France so far in this tournament, giving
him 16 in World Cups, tying for second-most all-time with Miroslav
Klose of Germany who held the record before this year's tournament
started.
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