World Cup last 16 predictions: Shocks, best games and winners
Today's FIFA matches today are Brazil vs Norway at 4 p.m. ET and Mexico vs England at 8 p.m. ET in the World Cup last 16. France and Morocco advanced Saturday. Athletic writers see Spain vs Portugal as the best tie, with Norway or Mexico likeliest shock winners.
As the knockout bracket narrows from 48 nations, every remaining fixture carries outsized stakes for fans tracking live results and Fintech & Crypto Alerts audiences following global sports markets.
Key Takeaways
- July 5 features Brazil vs Norway (4 p.m. ET) and Mexico vs England (8 p.m. ET), both on Fox and Telemundo per ESPN.
- France beat Paraguay 1-0 and Morocco routed Canada 3-0 on July 4; they meet in Boston on July 9.
- Athletic writers pick Spain vs Portugal as the best last-16 tie and flag Norway over Brazil and Mexico over England as top upset candidates.
- Kylian Mbappé retook the Golden Boot lead after his 70th-minute penalty vs Paraguay, per Yahoo Sports.
- France remains the tournament favorite, though Spain, Morocco and Argentina are cited as teams that could stop them.
What FIFA matches today are on the World Cup last 16 schedule?
ESPN lists two Round of 16 fixtures for Sunday, July 5. Brazil face Norway at 4 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Mexico host England at 8 p.m. ET at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Both matches air on Fox and Telemundo. ESPN is also running studio coverage throughout the day, including ESPN FC World Cup Morning Show at 2 p.m. ET and evening analysis on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
The round of 16 runs through July 7, with Portugal vs Spain and USA vs Belgium on Monday and Argentina vs Egypt plus Switzerland vs Colombia on Tuesday, according to Yahoo Sports.
Which round of 16 games could produce the biggest shocks?
The Athletic asked its writers where upsets are most likely. Several pointed to Norway vs Brazil, noting Norway's strong qualifying campaign, three wins in four group-stage games and Erling Haaland's scoring threat against a Brazil side that has looked vulnerable.
Others flagged Mexico vs England at the Azteca. Mexico played brilliant football against Ecuador and have lost only twice at the stadium since 1966. England have looked physically exhausted across four matches, making altitude and home support a serious factor.
Paraguay's bid to repeat their Germany penalty-shootout heroics fell short when France won 1-0 on July 4. The U.S. beating Belgium would not count as a true upset in some writers' eyes given home momentum, per The Athletic.
What are the best games left in the bracket?
Spain vs Portugal drew the most praise as an Iberian derby with Cristiano Ronaldo's last World Cup and Lamine Yamal chasing his first title. Mexico vs England also ranked highly for occasion, atmosphere and the Azteca's history.
Brazil vs Norway earned votes for entertainment value, with Haaland's Vikings testing a decorated but beatable Brazil. Several writers also highlighted USA vs Belgium in Seattle as an evenly matched, high-scoring affair.
Who do experts think wins the World Cup?
France enter as favorites after Mbappé's penalty secured a chippy 1-0 win over Paraguay and put him back on top of the Golden Boot race, Yahoo Sports reported. Athletic writers largely expect Mbappé or Lionel Messi to lead scoring after this round.
Stopping France is another question. Spain, with an unbeaten Unai Simón in goal, Morocco after their 3-0 rout of Canada, and Argentina after surviving Cape Verde all drew mentions. Several writers still back France, but none called the title a foregone conclusion.