Argentina enter favorable knockout path at World Cup 2026
Defending champions avoid top 20 FIFA teams until quarterfinals, top 10 until semifinals.
At World Cup 2026, draw put world number one Argentina in Group J. Group rated easy with three lower-ranked opponents: Jordan (63), Austria (24), Algeria (28). After three wins, defending champions top group, enter most favorable bracket, per Brazilian newspaper Globo Esporte.
Forward Lionel Messi (number 10) dribbles past Amer Jamous (number 6) during Argentina 3-1 win against Jordan in final match of Group J at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, Dallas, US on June 27, 2026. Photo: AP
Lionel Scaloni team face Cape Verde in round of 32 at Miami stadium, 5:00 AM Saturday July 4 (Hanoi time). African representative is tournament sensation, reaching knockouts in debut World Cup. However, they have lowest FIFA rank among 32 knockout teams, 67th before tournament.
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If they beat Cape Verde, Argentina face winner of Australia - Egypt in round of 16. Australia rank 27th, Egypt 29th. Thus, 2022 World Cup champions avoid top 20 FIFA teams before quarterfinals.
Lionel Messi (second from left) takes free kick but misses target in Argentina match against Jordan in Group J, Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, June 27, 2026. Photo: AP
In quarterfinals, potential opponents are winner of Switzerland - Algeria or Colombia - Ghana. Among these, Colombia rank highest, 13th before World Cup. Switzerland rank 19th, Algeria 28th, Ghana 73rd. This means Argentina avoid top 10 FIFA teams until semifinals.
This bracket is favorable compared to rest of tournament. For example, Netherlands and Morocco, both top 10, meet in round of 32. Germany and France could clash in round of 16, same for Spain and Portugal. Other former champions like Brazil or England must face top 20 team in round of 32 or round of 16.
Messi scores free kick against Jordan in final group match
Besides avoiding top 10 FIFA teams, Argentina avoid all former World Cup champions until semifinals. Two-time champions Uruguay could have been round of 32 opponent if second in Group H, but eliminated in group stage. Cape Verde took spot, making Argentina path easier in theory.
Only in semifinals can Messi and teammates face former world champion. Two strongest candidates in other bracket are Brazil and England. Brazil rank sixth before tournament, England fourth. Besides these two, Japan, Ivory Coast, Norway, Mexico, Ecuador, and DR Congo also have chance to reach semifinals in same bracket as Argentina.
Cape Verde players celebrate reaching round of 32 after 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia in final match of Group H, World Cup 2026 in Houston on June 26. Photo: AP
Favorable bracket gives Argentina open path to defend title. In post-group stage analysis, The Athletic noted South American team had easy group and benefited from results in other groups.
Cape Verde is tournament biggest surprise, but rated lower than Uruguay. Next, Australia or Egypt not seen as strong enough to stop defending champions, before Argentina likely face Colombia or Switzerland in quarterfinals.
Jordan Bos (left) dribbles under pressure from Damian Bobadilla (center) and Junior Alonso during Australia draw with Paraguay in Group D, World Cup 2026 at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California, US on June 25. Photo: AP
Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia, or Ghana promise to create more difficulties for Lionel Scaloni and his players in the quarterfinals. Among them, Colombia topping the group containing Portugal is also a surprise and beneficial for Argentina on paper.
Besides the bracket advantage, Argentina also carry a perfect record from the group stage. They won all three matches against Algeria, Austria, and Jordan to gain a maximum of 9 points. However, World Cup history brings a rather unpleasant statistic.
Since Brazil won the 2002 World Cup after winning all group stage matches, no team has won all 9 points in the group stage and gone on to win the championship. Spain in 2002, Brazil, Germany, Portugal, and Spain in 2006, Argentina and the Netherlands in 2010, Argentina, the Netherlands, Colombia, and Belgium in 2014, or Uruguay, Croatia, and Belgium in 2018 all failed to win the title despite winning their first three matches.
The Emir of Qatar (left) puts a Bisht on Lionel Messi after the 2022 World Cup final on December 18 in Lusail, Qatar. Photo: AFP
Argentina themselves have fallen into this situation twice. In South Africa 2010, they won all group stage matches but stopped in the quarterfinals after losing to Germany. In Brazil four years later, Messi and his teammates again won a maximum of 9 points, before losing to Germany in the final.
Conversely, Argentina's 2022 World Cup winning journey started imperfectly. They lost to Saudi Arabia in their opening match, then beat Mexico and Poland to enter the knockout stage with only 6 points.
At the 2026 World Cup, only three teams won all group stage matches: Argentina, France, and Mexico. If they successfully defend their title, Messi and his teammates will end a 24-year streak of teams winning all group matches but failing to win the championship. They will also become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup title.
Schedule - Results of World Cup 2026
Monday, June 29, 2026
Round of 32
[South Africa
15 : 00
Canada
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1561329/nam-phi-canada)
[Prediction](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1561329/nam-phi-canada)
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Round of 32
[Brazil
13 : 00
Japan
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1562344/brazil-nhat-ban)
[Prediction](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1562344/brazil-nhat-ban)
Round of 32
[Germany
16 : 30
Paraguay
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1565176/duc-paraguay)
[Prediction](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1565176/duc-paraguay)
Round of 32
[Netherlands
21 : 00
Morocco
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1562345/ha-lan-morocco)
[Prediction](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1562345/ha-lan-morocco)
Wednesday, July 1, 2026
Round of 32
[Ivory Coast
13 : 00
Norway
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1564789/bo-bien-nga-na-uy)
[Prediction](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1564789/bo-bien-nga-na-uy)
Round of 32
[France
17 : 00
Sweden
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1565177/phap-thuy-dien)
[Prediction](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1565177/phap-thuy-dien)
Round of 32
[Mexico
21 : 00
Ecuador
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567306/mexico-ecuador)
[Prediction](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567306/mexico-ecuador)
Round of 32
[England
12 : 00
DR Congo
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567307/anh-chdc-congo)
[Prediction](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567307/anh-chdc-congo)
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Round of 32
[Belgium
16 : 00
Senegal
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567308/bi-senegal)
[Prediction](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567308/bi-senegal)
Round of 32
[USA
20 : 00
Bosnia & Herz.
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1562586/my-bosnia-&-herz.)
[Prediction](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1562586/my-bosnia-&-herz.)
Friday, July 3, 2026
Round of 32
[Spain
15 : 00
Austria
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567311/tay-ban-nha-ao)
[Predict](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567311/tay-ban-nha-ao)
Round of 32
[Portugal
19 : 00
Croatia
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567309/bo-dao-nha-croatia)
[Predict](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567309/bo-dao-nha-croatia)
Round of 32
[Switzerland
23 : 00
Algeria
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567312/thuy-si-algeria)
[Predict](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567312/thuy-si-algeria)
Saturday, July 4, 2026
Round of 32
[Australia
14 : 00
Egypt
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1565178/australia-ai-cap)
[Predict](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1565178/australia-ai-cap)
Round of 32
[Argentina
18 : 00
Cape Verde
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1565179/argentina-cape-verde)
[Predict](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1565179/argentina-cape-verde)
Round of 32
[Colombia
21 : 30
Ghana
](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567310/colombia-ghana)
[Predict](https://vnexpress.net/the-thao/world-cup-2026/tran-dau/1567310/colombia-ghana)
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