World Cup Knockout Stage Kicks Off: Argentina Faces Cape Verde, Colombia Takes on Ghana

The 2026 World Cup knockout stage begins on Friday, featuring a compelling lineup of matches that will determine progression towards the final. Among the headliners are co-favourites Argentina facing debutants Cape Verde, and a strong Colombian side taking on Ghana. Other fixtures include Australia versus Egypt in Arlington.

Key facts
| Match | Date | Kick-off | Venue |
|—|—|—|—|
| Argentina vs. Cape Verde | Friday, July 3, 2026 | TBD | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami |
| Colombia vs. Ghana | Friday, July 3, 2026 | TBD | TBD |
| Australia vs. Egypt | Friday, July 3, 2026 | TBD | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |

Por que importa

Argentina, a tournament co-favourite, enters its last-32 clash against Cape Verde with an unblemished group stage record. The Albiceleste, boasting one of football’s greatest players, are expected to navigate this fixture. Cape Verde, meanwhile, has impressed with its defensive resilience, securing two clean sheets in their group matches, but face their toughest test yet against the South American giants.

Colombia, who topped Group K ahead of Portugal, will play Ghana, a team that qualified as one of the best third-placed finishers. This encounter is anticipated to be a tight affair, with Ghana possessing the defensive capabilities to challenge Colombia. However, the South American outfit is predicted to advance to the round of 16.

Contexto

The third knockout fixture scheduled for Friday sees Australia, who finished second in Group D, go head-to-head with Egypt, the runners-up of Group G. Both teams have shown vulnerabilities during the tournament, suggesting a closely contested match. Despite the challenges, Egypt is tipped to edge past Australia and secure a spot in the next round.

The winners of the Colombia vs. Ghana match will progress to face either Switzerland or Algeria in the subsequent round, adding another layer of intrigue to the tournament’s progression.

Source: Sports Mole Football RSS – https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/argentina/world-cup-2026/feature/can-cape-verde-shock-argentina-fridays-world-cup-predictions-and-previews_600544.html

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