European teams’ progress in the tournament

With the knockout phase now underway at the 2026 World Cup, European football continues to capture global attention. Of the initial 16 European teams in the competition, 13 remain in contention, following early exits for Czech Republic, Scotland and Turkey. France, twice previous champions in 1998 and 2018, remain strong contenders as holders of the 2018 title.

Key stats from the tournament so far

📊 Record-breaking goal tally

After 72 group-stage matches played over 16 days, the total goals scored at this World Cup have already broken records. With 215 goals recorded before the first round of 16 matches, this edition is on track to surpass all previous tournaments. This represents an average of 2.99 goals per game, far exceeding the 172 goals scored in the 2022 Qatar edition.

It’s worth noting that earlier tournaments featured a maximum of 64 matches with 32 teams, compared to the 104 matches involving 48 teams in this North American-hosted edition.

Night’s result: South Africa 0-1 canada 🇿🇦 0-1 🇨🇦

The first knockout match of the tournament saw Canada secure a historic victory against South Africa in stoppage time. Eustaquio’s stunning strike from outside the box delivered the Canadians their first-ever World Cup round of 16 appearance. The team will now face either the Netherlands or Morocco in the next stage.

Notable quote 🎙️

During a live broadcast from Long Beach, journalist Abigail Vélez sparked controversy by admitting her unfamiliarity with Bosnia and Herzegovina ahead of the June 2nd match between the USA and Bosnia. Her comments, which circulated widely on social media with over 8 million views, drew particular attention as ABC’s news director Almin Karamehmedovic was born in Sarajevo. Vélez later issued an apology in response to the backlash.

Focus on the french team’s schedule

French supporters can rest easy – the national team’s matches will all conclude before midnight (Paris time) throughout their potential progression to the final. The Bleus begin their knockout campaign against Sweden on Tuesday at 11pm, with potential subsequent matches against Germany or Paraguay also scheduled for 11pm on July 4th, American Independence Day.

The quarter-final is set for 10pm on July 9th, with a potential semi-final at 9pm on July 14th. The final itself will kick off at 9pm on July 19th.

European analysis 📰

Former England striker Gary Lineker has boldly predicted a French victory over Germany, describing the German team as “one of the weakest German national teams I’ve ever seen”. The Mannschaft face Paraguay in their round of 16 match at Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium on Monday at 10:30pm.