As the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage enters its final matchday this Saturday, six high-stakes encounters will determine the last remaining spots in the knockout round, while a tiny island nation has already written its name into tournament history. Cape Verde, the smallest country by population to ever qualify for the World Cup, has capped a dream debut by advancing to the round of 32, capping off a stunning run of results that included draws against 2010 champions Spain and 1930 and 1950 winners Uruguay, before a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia secured their place in the next stage. Goalkeeper Vozinha was the standout hero for the underdog side, delivering a series of match-saving performances that carried his country into knockout phase football. The Blue Sharks will next face defending champions Argentina on July 3 in Miami Gardens.
This Saturday’s action will see seven of the top 10 remaining knockout spots still up for grabs, with global heavyweights aiming to lock in perfect group stage results and sort final positioning ahead of the knockout round. The full schedule for matchday three is as follows: Panama vs England at New York New Jersey Stadium (18:00 local time), Croatia vs Ghana at Philadelphia Stadium (18:00), Colombia vs Portugal at Miami Stadium (20:30), DR Congo vs Uzbekistan at Atlanta Stadium (20:30), Jordan vs Argentina at Dallas Stadium (23:00), and Algeria vs Austria at Kansas City Stadium (23:00).
Heading into their final group clash against Panama, England are targeting a clean sweep of three wins from three group matches. The two sides last met at the 2018 Russia World Cup, where England recorded a dominant 6-1 victory that remains the Three Lions’ biggest winning margin in World Cup history. Gareth Southgate’s side enter the clash as clear favorites to secure all three points.
In Group L, Croatia and Ghana will face off for the first time in World Cup history, with both sides still chasing a knockout spot. Ghana currently sits one point above Croatia in the group standings, and ranks 65th in the latest FIFA rankings – the second-lowest ranked side Croatia has ever faced at a World Cup, behind only 70th-ranked Russia in 2018. Despite their lower standing in the table, Croatia enters the fixture as the overwhelming favorite to claim three points and secure progression.
Colombia and Portugal will also meet for the first time on a World Cup stage, with the tie set to decide who claims the Group K top spot. Colombia will only need a single point to finish at the top of the group, while Portugal is chasing all three points to secure top seeding ahead of the knockout round. This encounter marks only the third time Portugal has faced a South American side at a World Cup, following previous matches against Brazil and Uruguay.
DR Congo and Uzbekistan will also lock horns for the first time ever at the World Cup, with both teams still fighting for a knockout stage place. DR Congo is still chasing its first ever World Cup win, having drawn 1-1 with Portugal and suffered a narrow one-goal defeat to Colombia in its opening two fixtures.
Algeria and Austria meet in their second ever World Cup group stage encounter, with their first meeting dating back to the 1982 World Cup, when Austria claimed a 2-0 clean sheet victory. This time around, Algeria is targeting its second consecutive World Cup win, a first in the nation’s tournament history.
Finally, an already eliminated Jordan side will face Argentina for the first time ever, with the two-time World Cup champions targeting a third win from three group matches to maintain their perfect run. It has already been confirmed that Lionel Messi will start the fixture from the substitute bench, but Argentina still enters as the overwhelming favorite. Despite their elimination, an already free-scoring Jordan side could pull off a tournament upset by claiming its first ever World Cup win.
Off the pitch, Iran remains in limbo waiting to learn if it will clinch one of the best third-place spots that guarantees knockout progression. A late equalizer for Iran against Egypt was ruled out for offside after a VAR review, leaving the side level on points in third place in Group G. Iran’s progression depends on three specific results on Saturday: Croatia must lose to Ghana, DR Congo must fail to beat Uzbekistan (with an extra caveat that Uzbekistan cannot win by seven or more goals), and either Algeria or Austria must win their Group J closing fixture.
Iran captain Mehdi Taremi has launched scathing criticism at FIFA over poor logistical arrangements for his side, which is based in Tijuana, Mexico and forced to make repeated cross-border trips to the United States for matches. Following Friday’s 1-1 draw with Egypt, Taremi labeled the travel arrangements a “disaster”, saying the repeated cross-border trips put Iran at a substantial competitive disadvantage. He also publicly questioned whether the side was truly welcome at the tournament, saying: “If they want us out, okay, let us be out. But this is not fair.” Taremi’s comments come amid heightened geopolitical tensions between Iran and the United States following recent military strikes and a fragile ceasefire, with the captain calling on FIFA to address the unfulfilled support promises the governing body made ahead of the tournament.
Away from off-field controversy and knockout drama, a bright fashion trend has dominated the 2026 tournament: bold, hot-pink football boots have become the go-to choice for the world’s top players. Major sportswear brands including Nike, Adidas, and Puma have rolled out eye-catching pink designs for the tournament, created to help players stand out on the pitch and project confidence. Some of the biggest names in the game, including Kylian Mbappé, Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and Ousmane Dembélé, have all been spotted wearing the vivid cleats, continuing a decades-long shift away from traditional black-and-white football boots that first started when colorful designs rose to prominence at the 1998 World Cup.