Jump to a topic
  1. Today’s FIFA World Cup Schedule
  2. Current World Cup Group Standings 
  3. Teams Trending Toward The Knockout Stage 
  4. Updated World Cup Knockout Stage Bracket Outlook 
  5. Biggest World Cup Matches Coming Up
  6. Golden Boot Leaders And Tournament Stars

The 2026 FIFA World Cup finally gets underway this week! Sports fans and soccer fanatics alike will come together to enjoy the month-long tournament as we crown a new champion. Let’s take a deep dive into the upcoming World Cup schedule for the week. 

In this preview, we’ll also break down the FIFA World Cup standings as well as the World Cup bracket. Plus, it’s never too early to look ahead to the World Cup knockout stage and potential matchups. Will Lionel Messi and Argentina advance on as they look to go back-to-back? Or is it Cristiano Ronaldo’s time to shine with Portugal? Enjoy this World Cup schedule breakdown as the tournament kicks off. 

Today’s FIFA World Cup Schedule

The World Cup officially gets underway on Thursday with a pair of matchups. Two more games follow on Friday, featuring the United States’ opening action. Let’s take a quick look at the upcoming World Cup schedule. 

  • Mexico vs. South Africa – 3 pm ET, Thursday, June 11
  • South Korea vs. Czechia – 10 pm ET, Thursday, June 11
  • Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina – 3 pm ET, Friday, June 12
  • USA vs. Paraguay – 9 pm ET, Friday, June 12

 

 

 

Current World Cup Group Standings 

Now that we’ve broken down the upcoming World Cup schedule, let’s look at every group of teams. Here’s how the current FIFA World Cup standings shake out ahead of the tournament kicking off on Thursday. 

Group A 

  • Mexico – 0 points
  • South Africa – 0 
  • South Korea – 0 
  • Czechia – 0 

Group B

  • Canada – 0 
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina – 0 
  • Qatar – 0
  • Switzerland – 0 

Group C

  • Brazil – 0 
  • Morocco – 0 
  • Haiti – 0 
  • Scotland – 0

Group D

  • USA – 0 
  • Paraguay – 0
  • Australia – 0
  • Turkey – 0

Group E

  • Germany – 0 
  • Curacao – 0
  • Ivory Coast – 0 
  • Ecuador – 0

Group F

  • Netherlands – 0
  • Japan – 0
  • Sweden – 0
  • Tunisia – 0

Group G

  • Belgium – 0
  • Egypt – 0
  • Iran – 0
  • New Zealand – 0

Group H

  • Spain – 0
  • Cabo Verde – 0
  • Saudi Arabia – 0
  • Uruguay – 0

Group I 

  • France – 0 
  • Senegal – 0
  • Iraq – 0
  • Norway – 0

Group J

  • Argentina – 0
  • Algeria – 0
  • Austria – 0
  • Jordan – 0

Group K

  • Portugal – 0
  • Congo DR – 0
  • Uzbekistan – 0
  • Colombia – 0

Group L

  • England – 0
  • Croatia – 0
  • Ghana – 0
  • Panama – 0

Teams Trending Toward The Knockout Stage 

Before the World Cup schedule gets underway, let’s look at the top teams expected to advance out of their groups into the World Cup knockout stage. Keep an eye on the FIFA World Cup standings as the tournament progresses, because the odds below are likely to change based on results. 

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, here are some notable odds for the top teams to move on to the World Cup knockout stage. Spain is the biggest favorite, at -475 odds, to win their group. Brazil (-310 favorite), England (-280), and Argentina (-265) are also sizable favorites to win their groups. 

If you’re interested in the United States’ odds, the Americans are +140 to win Group D and -750 to advance into the World Cup knockout stage. As for the other hosts, Mexico is -125 to win its group while Canada is +175 to be the Group C winner. 

 

 

 

Updated World Cup Knockout Stage Bracket Outlook 

Now that we’ve discussed the top teams expected to advance to the World Cup knockout stage, let’s look at the possible World Cup bracket. If teams finish in the FIFA World Cup standings as the current betting odds suggest, here are some potential matchups we could see in the knockout round. Be sure to keep track of the updated World Cup schedule and bracket as the tournament continues. 

  • Spain vs. Austria – Group H Winner vs. Group J 2nd Place
  • Netherlands vs. Morocco – Group F Winner vs. Group C 2nd Place
  • Colombia vs. Croatia – Group K 2nd Place vs. Group L 2nd Place 
  • Ecuador vs. Norway – Group E 2nd Place vs. Group I 2nd Place 

Biggest World Cup Matches Coming Up

We have many intriguing matches on tap for the upcoming World Cup schedule. The results of some of these higher-profile games could go a long way in determining the FIFA World Cup standings and, eventually, the World Cup bracket. 

  • United States vs. Paraguay – 9 pm ET, Friday, June 12
  • Brazil vs. Morocco – 6 pm ET, Saturday, June 13
  • Netherlands vs. Japan – 4 pm ET, Sunday, June 14
  • Belgium vs. Egypt – 3 pm ET, Monday, June 15

 

 

 

Golden Boot Leaders And Tournament Stars

As we get deeper into the World Cup schedule, many tournament stars will emerge from the pack and quickly become household names. Let’s look at the current Golden Boot leaders, according to DraftKings Sportsbook odds. The Golden Boot is awarded to the top goalscorer in the entire World Cup tournament. 

  • Kylian Mbappe (France): +600
  • Harry Kane (England): +700
  • Erling Haaland (Norway): +1400
  • Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain): +1400
  • Lionel Messi (Argentina): +1600
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): +2000

Keep an eye out for our upcoming Golden Boot Tracker Article. It will update with the top goal scorers throughout the World Cup schedule.