FIFA World Cup schedule for the week (June 22-28, 2026): Messi’s Argentina, Mbappe’s France in focus as final battle for knockout places begins | Football news

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, second right, celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal. (AP Photo)

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set for a dramatic week as the expanded 48-team tournament enters the final stage of the group stage, with the race for places in the last 16 starting from Monday onwards.After 10 days of action across the United States, Canada and Mexico, only three teams have officially secured qualification for the knockout rounds. Co-hosts USA and Mexico, along with four-time champions Germany, have already booked their spots after the first two games.On the other hand, Haiti, Turkey and Tunisia became the first teams to be eliminated from the competition, leaving 42 nations fighting for the remaining 29 places in the next round.The second round of group matches will conclude by Wednesday, which is expected to provide greater clarity in several groups containing heavyweight contenders. Defending champions Argentina, former world champions France, England and Portugal are among the teams still looking to secure their places in the knockout stages.From Thursday onwards, attention will turn to the final round of group matches, with FIFA adopting the traditional format of simultaneous kick-offs for teams within the same group. The schedule is designed to preserve sporting integrity and prevent teams from gaining an advantage knowing the result of the second game.For example, both Group A matches will start at the same time and the same format will be applied across all 12 groups during the final days of the first stage.The stakes are even higher in the expanded format. The top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the round of 16, while the eight best third-placed teams will also advance, meaning countries that miss out on the top two positions will still have a lifeline.With 29 knockout spots still up for grabs and several traditional powerhouses yet to confirm qualification, the coming week promises high drama, tense calculations and simultaneous multi-place battles.By the end of the week, the picture of the first 32-team knockout stage will finally be complete, with dreams to be kept alive or dashed in what promises to be an exciting finish to the group stage.