​With eight teams left to crown the World Cup champion, this moment offers a chance to look back at what has happened and to speculate about what lies ahead. France, Spain, and defending champions Argentina remain the favorites to lift the trophy. Spain and France boast extraordinary depth and talent, while Argentina can lean on Lionel Messi, often regarded as the GOAT. England sits close behind them, followed by a quartet of long shots—Norway, Switzerland, Morocco, and Belgium. Argentina’s path is arguably the most favorable, since they would avoid facing Spain or France until a potential final. Yet the nature of knockout football is unpredictable, and the quarterfinals commence on Thursday, July 9, leaving room for surprises.
The group stage delivered its share of upsets, yet the eight teams left standing are a testament to why they survived. A key factor was the limited preparation time many players had before the tournament began. Some had played in the UEFA Champions League final only weeks earlier, leaving them with a compressed lead-in to the World Cup. As teams grew more familiar with each other during the group phase, their performances improved, and the true contenders began to stand out. While Brazil and Germany—owners of nine World Cup titles between them—were toppled earlier than expected, neither demonstrated dominance during the tournament, so their exits were not shocking.
If you missed the notion of a “fix,” you might have caught a glimpse of it in the scheduling and venue advantages. Home-field advantage is substantial in soccer, and for Mexico and Canada, as co-hosts, the FIFA draw guaranteed each host nation a home game in the first two knockout rounds on the condition they won their group and their initial knockout match. Mexico benefited from this arrangement, while Canada had to travel to the United States after finishing second. Of course, the United States was assured a home game throughout simply by being present in the tournament.
The atmosphere at the knockout stage has been nothing short of extraordinary. On July 5, 2026, in Mexico City, the clash between Mexico and England drew a crowd that many described as the most electric experience ever seen at an international match. Held at the iconic Estadio Azteca, with a crowd of 87,000, the atmosphere rivaled the best events in Olympics, the NFL, and the UEFA Champions League. Despite Mexico’s home advantage—playing at altitude above 7,000 feet, and boasting a record of 70 wins and only two losses at this venue—the English team entered as underdogs. England ultimately won 3-2, a victory that felt like one of the greatest triumphs since their 1966 World Cup win and elevated the team’s reputation in the eyes of many fans. The Azteca crowd’s energy was relentless and unforgettable, delivering a moment of sheer spectacle that will be remembered as bucket-list material for football fans around the world.