World Cup: What to know as final part of group play begins

Wednesday's World Cup action includes a pivotal match in Seattle between two potential U.S. round-of-32 opponents.

BY JOHN MARSHALL, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jun 24, 2026, 10:09 AM

A general view of the World Cup match between Belgium and Egypt on June 15 in Seattle. (Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

(Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

The World Cup opened with two games per day over during its first two days and expanded to four games a day over the next 10.

Now the schedule gets even more condensed. Starting Wednesday, there are six games a day until the end of group play on Saturday.

World Cup: US clinches Group D, setting up possible return to Seattle

Reigning World Cup champion Argentina, the United States, France, Germany, Mexico and Norway have already secured spots in the knockout stage.

There’s still plenty up in the air as teams get ready to play their third and final group-stage games.

World Cup group standings

Canada faces Switzerland in Vancouver, British Columbia, with the winner likely earning the top spot out of Group B. Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar both need to win in Seattle to have any hope of reaching the knockout stage.

Scotland needs a draw or maybe even a narrow loss to Brazil to get through to the knockout stage for the first time in nine attempts. South Korea and South Africa play for a chance to finish second in Group A behind Mexico.

Morocco can clinch second in Group C with a win over Haiti.

Got all that?

Yeah, things are about to get interesting.

What to watch on Wednesday

— Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Qatar, 3 p.m. EDT in Seattle (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)

— Switzerland vs. Canada, 3 p.m. EDT in Vancouver, British Columbia (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)

— Morocco vs. Haiti, 6 p.m. EDT in Atlanta (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)

— Scotland vs. Brazil, 6 p.m. EDT in Miami Gardens, Florida (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)

— Czech Republic vs. Mexico, 9 p.m. EDT in Mexico City (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)

— South Africa vs. South Korea, 9 p.m. EDT in Guadalupe, Mexico (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)

Red cards affect Qatar and Bosnia-Herzegovina

Qatar and Bosnia-Herzegovina will be short-handed for a match critical to both teams’ hopes of advancing to the knockout stage.

Bosnia will be without center back Tarik Muharemovic, who received a red card in a 4-1 loss to Switzerland.

Qatar has two players out due to red cards in a 6-0 loss to Canada: left back Homam Ahmed and midfielder Assim Madibo, who broke the leg of Canada’s Ismaël Koné with a tackle from behind.

Bosnia and Qatar have to win Wednesday in Seattle to have any chance of earning one of the eight third-place qualifiers into the knockout round thanks to poor goal differentials.

According to The Athletic’s World Cup forecast, Bosnia and Qatar are currently the two most likely opponents for the United States in their round-of-32 match on July 1 in Santa Clara, Calif.

Mexico’s Memo could play his finale

Mexico has Group A locked up, giving coach Javier Aguirre an opportunity to send off veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa in style in front of his home fans.

The 40-year-old Ochoa was added to Mexico’s roster for this year’s World Cup, the record sixth in the career of the player known as “Memo.” Ochoa has announced he’s retiring following the World Cup, but has yet to see the field, serving as backup to Raúl Rangel.

He’s expected to get a chance to play against Czech Republic Wednesday in Mexico City.

Ochoa will join Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players to appear in six World Cups.

The Czech Republic likely needs a win to have any hope of advancing to the round of 32.

South Africa needs to beat South Korea in Guadalupe, Mexico, to have any chance of getting out of Group A. South Korea would finish second in the group with a draw.

Scotland’s bid

Scotland’s fans have been the toast of this year’s World Cup, taking over Boston’s bars before their team’s opening match, then turning the Miami Marlins’ ballpark into a giant party.

Imagine what the Tartan Army will do if the Scots advance to the knockout stage for the first time in nine World Cups.

Sitting third in Group C, Scotland needs a draw or potentially even a narrow loss against Brazil to make it out of the group stage. Scotland has three points and a goal differential of minus-4, so a 1-0 defeat could be enough to get through.