- Knockout race heats up as heavyweights like Brazil, France, England and Argentina book their spots
- Third-place lifelines keep Bosnia & Herzegovina, Paraguay, Ecuador, Sweden and Senegal in the mix
- Czech Republic, Qatar, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia among those packing their bags
We’re into the business end of the FIFA World Cup group phase and the expanded 48-team format is starting to bite. With two per group plus eight best third-placed sides marching on to the Last 32, the margins are brutal. If you like a flutter, our best football betting sites guide has you covered as the bracket takes shape.
Who’s Already Through to the Last 32
Group A: Mexico, South Africa. Group B: Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia & Herzegovina. Group C: Brazil, Morocco. Group D: USA, Australia, Paraguay. Group E: Germany, Ivory Coast, Ecuador. Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden. Group G: Belgium, Egypt. Group H: Spain, Cape Verde. Group I: France, Norway, Senegal. Group J: Argentina. Group K: Colombia, Portugal. Group L: England, Ghana.
The story so far? The big guns look locked in, while the tournament’s new safety net has rewarded canny third-placers — notably Bosnia & Herzegovina, Paraguay, Ecuador, Sweden and Senegal — who squeezed through on fine margins.
Who’s Out Already
Group A: Czech Republic. Group B: Qatar. Group C: Haiti. Group D: Turkey. Group E: Curacao. Group F: Tunisia. Group G: New Zealand. Group H: Uruguay, Saudi Arabia. Group I: Iraq. Group J: Jordan. Group K: To be confirmed. Group L: Panama.
There’s still sorting to do in places, but the road ahead is clear: survive and advance. The tournament kicked off under the ghosts of history at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, and from the quarter-finals onwards the action shifts exclusively to the USA, culminating at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. The favourites have their foot down — yet in a World Cup this sprawling, there’s always room for a dark horse to gatecrash the party.
Bio:
Football fanatic, you will often find me on the terraces at lower league matches on a Saturday afternoon. I leave the Premier League matches to the prawn sandwich brigade; grassroots football for me all the way.
Key contributions:
As the lead copywriter, it’s my job to turn my colleagues’ “messy notes” (sorry, guys!) into clear, engaging content. From bookmaker reviews to betting predictions, I make sure everything is polished, accurate, and easy to read
Personnel betting philosophy or quotes:
“Great content, like great football, is all about the fundamentals”
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