SANTA CLARA (Realist English). The knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup is gathering pace. France are confirming their status as tournament favourites, England escaped elimination at the last minute against DR Congo, and the United States are preparing for a historic Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Meanwhile, across America, diaspora communities from around the world are packing bars and restaurants to support their teams.
France — Tournament Favourites
France are among the leading contenders for the World Cup and, according to analysts, boast the best squad in the tournament. In the group stage, Les Bleus took maximum points from one of the toughest groups, securing convincing wins over Norway, Senegal and Iraq.
For the first time since 1998 — when France won the World Cup on home soil — the team has won all three group matches at a major tournament.
According to Opta’s supercomputer, France’s win probability at the start of the tournament was 13.0% (second‑highest). After an impressive group stage, that figure has risen to 18.7% — the highest among all teams. Analysts agree that France’s key strength lies in squad depth and balance across the lines.
Kylian Mbappé remains the team’s main star, but experts emphasise that France possess “the best squad at the tournament” with world‑class players in every position.
On July 1, France face Sweden in San Diego in the Round of 32. Analysts give Les Bleus a 75.1% chance of victory. If they win, they will face Germany in the quarter‑finals, followed by a predicted semi‑final against Spain.
Kane Saves England from Shock Exit
In Atlanta on July 1, England nearly suffered the same fate as Germany and the Netherlands, who had already been eliminated. In their Round of 32 match against the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Three Lions conceded as early as the 7th minute — Bryan Chipenga put the African side ahead.
The hero of the match was Harry Kane. In the 75th minute, he headed home a cross from Anthony Gordon to level the score. Then, in the 86th minute, Kane controlled the ball on the edge of the box and fired a powerful shot into the top corner — 2-1.
That goal was Kane’s 13th at World Cups — more than any other Englishman in history. His five goals at this tournament have placed him in the top three scorers, behind only Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé. As ESPN notes, Kane “saved England from embarrassment once again.”
For England, this was their first World Cup victory since 1966 when they had conceded the opening goal. On July 5 in Mexico City, they will face Mexico in the Round of 16.
USA Aim for First Knockout Win Since 2002
On July 2, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the United States will play their Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. A win would be the Americans’ first in World Cup knockout football since 2002.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino called this match the “World Cup final.” For the first time in the tournament, the team will be at full strength: Christian Pulisic, who missed matches against Australia and Turkey due to a calf injury, has returned and declared himself “100% fit.”
Bosnia and Herzegovina, ranked 64th in the FIFA rankings, have reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history. The squad includes American‑born winger Esmir Bajraktarević, who was born in Wisconsin.
Despite being favourites, the Americans remember the sensational exit of Germany at the hands of Paraguay.
Every Country Has Its ‘Home Stadium’
The World Cup, being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, has turned American cities into gathering points for diaspora communities from around the world.
As The New York Times notes, “in the United States, every World Cup team is a home team.”
- Little Morocco in Queens (New York). At the restaurant Dar Lbahja in Astoria, where Moroccan fans gather, drums and songs echo in support of a team that has reached the later stages of the tournament.
- Little Haiti in Miami. Over 100,000 residents of Miami‑Dade County have Haitian roots, and the Little Haiti neighbourhood has become a hub of celebration: bars, restaurants and even parking lots are filled with fans in red and blue colours.
- Bosnians in St. Louis. In a city that has been home to more than 60,000 Bosnians since the 1990s, hundreds of fans gathered at the Bevo Caffe Lounge to watch their team’s historic knockout‑stage appearance.
As the publication notes, “these fans have brought places across the United States to life.”
The first knockout round of the 2026 World Cup has already delivered dramatic conclusions and confirmed the status of the favourites.
France and England continue their quest for the trophy, the US are preparing for a historic match, and American cities are experiencing a unique football celebration that unites diasporas from all over the world.
