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By Vikram Iyer — 27 June 2026 — 3 min read

The FIFA World Cup group stage is set to conclude with six matches today, as teams vie for spots in the Round of 32. Among the teams in action, England and Argentina aim to maintain perfect records, while Colombia and Portugal will compete for the top position in Group K. Other nations like Croatia, Ghana, DR Congo, and Uzbekistan are also battling to advance.

Off the pitch, Cape Verde has made history by reaching the knockout stage in their inaugural World Cup appearance. Meanwhile, Iran awaits confirmation of their qualification as one of the best third-placed teams, following a dramatic draw where a late goal was disallowed.

Today’s Fixtures and Predictions

The day’s matches begin at 5 p.m. EDT with two simultaneous games. Panama will face England at the New York New Jersey Stadium. England previously secured a 6-1 victory against Panama in the Russia 2018 World Cup, which remains their largest win in the tournament’s history. According to pre-match simulations, England has a 78.5 percent chance of winning, while Panama has an 8.9 percent chance of securing their first World Cup victory.

Concurrently, Croatia will play Ghana at Philadelphia Stadium. This marks their first-ever meeting. Croatia, despite being a point behind Ghana in Group L, are considered favourites with a 56.3 percent chance of winning, compared to Ghana’s 17.6 percent.

Later, at 7:30 p.m. EDT, Colombia will take on Portugal at Miami Stadium. This is also their first World Cup encounter. Portugal are slight favourites, with a 51.6 percent chance of victory, while Colombia has a 23.9 percent chance. A draw would be sufficient for Colombia to secure the top spot in Group K.

At the same time, DR Congo will meet Uzbekistan at Atlanta Stadium. This match is another first-time World Cup meeting. DR Congo is seeking their first World Cup victory and has a 48.9 percent chance of winning, while Uzbekistan has a 26.8 percent chance.

The final two matches of the day, kicking off at 10 p.m. ET, include Jordan against Argentina at Dallas Stadium. This will be the first time these two nations have met in any competition. Argentina are strong favourites, with a 77.9 percent chance of winning, even with Lionel Messi starting from the substitutes’ bench. Jordan, already eliminated, has an 8.8 percent chance of an upset.

Also at 10 p.m. ET, Algeria will play Austria at Kansas City Stadium. Their only previous World Cup encounter was in 1982, which Austria won 2-0. The pre-match simulations suggest a tight contest, with a draw being the most likely outcome at 42.1 percent. Austria has a 31.2 percent chance of winning, while Algeria has a 26.7 percent chance.

Qualified Teams and Tournament Highlights

As of June 27, several teams have already secured their places in the Round of 32. Confirmed group winners include Mexico, Switzerland, Brazil, USA, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, France, and Argentina. Group runners-up that have qualified are South Africa, Canada, Morocco, Australia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Egypt, Cape Verde, and Norway.

Teams that have qualified with their group position yet to be determined include Colombia, Portugal, England, and Ghana. The best third-placed teams confirmed so far are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, Sweden, Paraguay, and Senegal.

Cape Verde‘s journey continues as they prepare to face defending champions Argentina in the Round of 32 in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 3. This follows their unbeaten run in the group stage, which included a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia and a 2-2 draw with Uruguay.

Iran‘s qualification hopes hinge on other results after their 1-1 draw with Egypt. They need specific outcomes in today’s matches, such as Croatia being defeated by Ghana, or DR Congo failing to beat Uzbekistan by a large margin, or either Austria or Algeria winning their final group match.

The tournament has also seen trends emerge, with pink boots becoming a notable sight on the pitch.

Source: aljazeera.com