The World Cup in football begins the second round of the group stage. The focus will be on the tournament hosts — the national teams of Canada and Mexico, who will play their next matches and could take an important step towards advancing to the playoffs.
The World Cup in football kicks off today with the first matches of the second round of the group stage.
The match day will open with a meeting between the national teams of the Czech Republic and South Africa. The Group A match will start in Atlanta at 19:00 Latvian time.
Then at 22:00 in Inglewood, the teams of Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina, representing Group B, will take the field.
Fans' main attention will be on the night matches featuring the tournament hosts. At 01:00 in Vancouver, the Canadian national team will face Qatar. For the Canadians, this game could be crucial in their fight for advancement from the group after a draw in the opening round.
A good piece of news for the hosts is the return of team captain Alphonso Davies, who missed the first match due to injury. Defender Moïse Bombito, who has recovered from a leg injury, is also ready to play.
The day's program will conclude with the match between Mexico and South Korea, which will start at 04:00 in Sapopan. The Mexicans began the tournament with a victory over South Africa, winning 2:0, but in the second round, the team will be without captain César Montes, who was sent off in the first game.
After the opening round, the situation in Group A looks quite intriguing.
Mexico has earned three points, and South Korea also started the tournament with a win, defeating the Czech Republic 2:1. Therefore, the direct encounter between the Mexicans and Koreans could significantly impact the standings in the group.
In Group B, the situation is very tight. Both matches of the first round ended in draws — Canada played 1:1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Switzerland also finished with the same score against Qatar.
What is important to know: after the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams, even third place in the group may allow for continued competition for the title. The playoffs will feature not only the top two teams from each group but also the eight best teams that finish in third place.
Therefore, even in the second round, every point earned could be decisive.
Participants in Group B will also have to consider personnel losses. The national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina will compete in the tournament without defender Nidal Čelić, who sustained a serious injury before the competition began.
The World Cup is being held for the first time in three countries — the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The group stage will conclude on June 27, after which the knockout matches will begin.
The tournament final will take place on July 19, when the new world champion will be known.
