World Cup Predictions: Mexico vs. South Korea, Canada vs. Qatar and more | World Cup 2026 news

the World Cup Thursday will witness four more matches in the group stage, including a meeting between Mexico and South Korea, after the two teams opened the tournament with two victories.

The race for the Golden Boot is already taking shape, with Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of the Congo celebrating historic results, and discussions about breaks, diversity in football and Africa’s growing presence in the tournament continue to spark debates.

Here’s what you should know:

What is the schedule for Thursday?

• Czechia vs. South Africa at Atlanta Stadium In Atlanta, Georgia, United States, at noon (16:00 GMT).
• Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina at Los Angeles Stadium in Los Angeles, California, at noon (19:00 GMT).
• Canada vs Qatar at Vancouver Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at 3pm (22:00 GMT).
• Mexico vs. South Korea at Estadio Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico, at 7pm (01:00 GMT Friday).

What are your expectations for the Mexico vs. South Korea match?

Mexico has a strong record against South Korea, having won their previous two World Cup meetings, including a 2-1 win in Russia 2018.

While both teams have boosted their knockout hopes with their first wins, Opta’s supercomputer favors Mexico in this Group A clash. Across 25,000 simulations, El Tri won 49.1% of the time, compared to 24.3% for South Korea, while 26.6% ended in a draw.

What are your expectations for the match between the Czech Republic and South Africa?

The Czech Republic and South Africa have met only once before. South Africa have a strong record against European teams at the World Cup, including a famous 2-1 win over France in 2010, and have lost just one of their last four such matches.

Meanwhile, the Czech Republic lost 2-0 to Ghana in their only previous World Cup match against an African opponent. Opta’s supercomputer considers the Czechs to be the favourites, giving them a 54.9 per cent chance of winning, compared to 21.8 per cent for South Africa.

What are your expectations for the match between Switzerland and Bosnia?

This will be the first World Cup meeting between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The only previous match between the two countries came in a friendly match in Zurich in 2016 when Bosnia won 2-0 thanks to goals from Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic.

Despite this result, Switzerland enters this match as the favourite. According to Opta’s supercomputer, Switzerland won 61.6% of 25,000 pre-match simulations, while Bosnia came out on top with 17%. A tie was expected in 21.4 percent of the scenarios.

What are the expectations for the Canada vs. Qatar match?

History favors the hosts in this match. On the previous three occasions, the host nation of the World Cup has faced an AFC team, and the hosts have won each time: Mexico beat Iraq in 1986, France defeated Saudi Arabia in 1998, and Russia also beat Saudi Arabia in 2018.

Opta’s supercomputer expects this trend to continue. Canada won 72.9 per cent of 25,000 pre-game simulations while ties occurred in 16.5 per cent. Qatar has only a 10.6 percent chance of pulling off an upset.

What else constitutes a World Cup?

The first round of matches has already produced unforgettable moments, surprising results and stories that go beyond the results. Here are some of the biggest talking points around the World Cup:

The Golden Boot race is already fierce

Lionel Messi leads the race for the World Cup Golden Shoe with three goals after scoring Triple In Argentina’s opening victory over Algeria.

A group of seven players trailing by one goal:

• Frenchman Kylian Mbappe
• Norwegian Erling Haaland
• American striker Folarin Balogun
• German Kai Havertz
• Sweden’s Yasin Ayari
• New Zealander Elijah Gast
• England captain Harry Kane

Democratic Republic of Congo makes World Cup history

Yoan Wissa scored Congo’s first World Cup goal in an unexpected 1-1 draw with Portugal, who are ranked fifth in the FIFA world.

Newcastle United striker I headed home Shortly after the end of the first half in Houston, Texas, Portugal equalized with an early goal scored by Joao Neves, giving the Panthers a historic point in their first appearance in the World Cup in 52 years. This achievement sparked celebrations among Congolese fans at the stadium and around the world.

Colombia starts winning

Colombia made Successful start In their World Cup campaign, they defeated Uzbekistan, which is participating for the first time in the tournament, with a score of 3-1 at Mexico City Stadium.

Luis Diaz was the standout player, setting up Daniel Munoz’s first goal before scoring Colombia’s second goal in the second half. Uzbekistan briefly equalized through Aposbek Fezulayev, but the South American team regained control and took the three points.

The win gives Colombia an early boost in Group K as they look to return to the knockout stages after missing out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Biggest first-round surprise?

Cape Verde draws 0-0 With Spain it is arguably the biggest surprise in the first group matches. The World Cup newcomers equaled one of the tournament favorites and secured a historic point in their first ever World Cup match.

Congo tied 1-1 Portugal is also among the tournament’s biggest surprises while Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand raised eyebrows after Iran was widely expected to win their opening match in Group G.

World Cup teams united across faiths and backgrounds

Many World Cup teams include players from different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, reflecting the diversity of the countries they represent.

England, France, Spain and Sweden are among the countries whose teams include Christian and Muslim players. Young Spanish star Lamine Yamal and Swedish midfielder Yacine Ayari are among a growing number of Muslim footballers competing on the sport’s biggest stage.

Some analysts see these teams as examples of how people from different backgrounds work together despite broader debates over immigration, identity and integration in parts of Europe. The cooperation seen on the field sends a strong message, said Ebo Patel, president of Interfaith America.

“They record, they each say their prayers and then they hug each other,” Patel said. “You come together to build a community and a team. That’s how you build an excellent soccer team.”

Cristiano Ronaldo’s record sixth World Cup appearance ended in disappointment

41 years old He became one of only two players, along with Lionel Messi, to have played in six World Cups, but was unable to find the back of the net despite several chances in the second half. His missed chances were particularly notable after stars including Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane all scored in their opening matches.

Portugal dropped points in their opening Group K match, leaving Ronaldo and his teammates looking for a bounce-back performance in their next group match.

Hydration breaks are controversial

New rest periods imposed by FIFA to help players deal with the summer heat in the United States, Canada and Mexico are facing criticism from pundits and fans who say they disrupt the flow of matches and could change the momentum.

The controversy intensified after the Curacao team scored a goal against Germany before resting in Houston, before its team conceded two goals before the end of the first half, causing the team to lose 7-1. Former England striker Alan Shearer said the stoppage “killed their momentum”, while former Ireland captain Roy Keane compared the breaks to a time-out, saying they interrupted the pace that makes football unique.

FIFA says the rest periods are designed to protect players’ well-being, but critics say they also create opportunities for tactical adjustments and additional broadcast announcements.

In a special report, Al Jazeera’s Martha van der Wolf highlights the record number of sub-Saharan African teams competing in the World Cup and the challenges and opportunities they face:

Score six Sub-Saharan African countries They are competing in the 2026 World Cup, more than ever before. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana were the first to take the field, losing to Mexico 2-0 in the opening match of the tournament. However, many of the continent’s traditional powers have also returned to the larger arena.

Ghana’s Black Stars reached the quarter-finals in 2010, equaling the achievements of Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2002. Senegal are back in the tournament this year while Ivory Coast are competing in a World Cup for the first time since 2014 after winning two Africa Cup of Nations titles in the years since.

Among the continent’s most interesting stories are the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cape Verde. The Leopards are back in the World Cup finals for the first time since 1974 when the country was known as Zaire. Many of the team members were born in Europe, a trend also seen in the Cape Verdean team. The Blue Sharks have already made history in their first World Cup appearance, earning a surprise draw against Spain.

The road to the championship was not without challenges. Some teams, officials and supporters have faced travel and visa issues. Many fans with African passports were initially required to post $15,000 bonds to enter the United States, a policy that was later abandoned, but critics said it was too late for some fans to make travel plans.

The tournament is also missing one of the most famous symbols of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa: the vuvuzela. The plastic horn, whose constant blaring has become synonymous with the tournament, has been banned at this year’s event.

However, with an African-born community of more than three million people in the United States and Canada, the continent’s six representatives are expected to enjoy strong support as they seek to make their mark on football’s biggest stage and carry the hopes of the entire continent.