Author: Bernard Okumu

  The 2026 World Cup has shed its group-stage skin. Forty-eight teams have become sixteen, and from here on, every match is a cliff-edge. The question hanging over MetLife Stadium on July 19th is a simple one with a complicated answer: are we watching the sequel to 2022, or is a new name about to be written into history?

On one side of the draw, France carry themselves like a team that has unfinished business. Kylian Mbappé is scoring at will, and Les Bleus have looked every bit the machine that reached the final in Qatar. Standing in their way is Morocco, the same side that stunned the world four years ago and now returns hungrier, chasing a first African run to the final itself. Spain and Portugal collide before they can even dream that far, a heavyweight collision between Lamine Yamal’s rising side and Cristiano Ronaldo chasing the one trophy that has eluded him. Whoever survives that battle still has Belgium or the co-host Americans to get past before a final appearance is even on the table.
The other half tells a different story. Argentina, the defending champions, have looked mortal at times but ruthless when it matters, with the shadow of Lionel Messi’s final World Cup dance hanging over every performance. They will be out to erase the memory of Cape Verde when they battle with the Pharaohs. Beyond them lurk Norway and England.  Erling Haaland is riding the form of his life, and a young England side that has quietly made three straight quarterfinals for the first time in decades. Somebody from this half will book a ticket to the final, and it will not be an easy passage.
That geography is what makes this tournament fascinating. France, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, the USA, and Belgium all occupy one side of the draw, meaning only one of them survives to July 19th — Spain and Portugal, in particular, cannot both make the final, since a win for one likely means eliminating the other long before the last match. On the other side sit Norway, England, Argentina, Egypt, Switzerland, and Colombia, a group that must settle its own business first — Argentina and Norway, for instance, would have to meet in the semifinal, not the final, if both keep winning. The final will be a story of two different rooms, one team emerging from each, and only then finding out who they must beat for the trophy.
So will it be Argentina and France again, replaying Lusail’s chaos and penalties? Could it instead be Portugal finally getting Ronaldo his missing trophy against England’s golden generation, or Spain’s dazzling midfield against a rampaging Norway? The bracket only guarantees one thing: whoever reaches July 19th will have already beaten one heavyweight rival just to get there. The stage is set. Now somebody has to perform.

MEXICO CITY — Jude Bellingham scored twice in the space of 98 seconds to power England to a 3-2 win over co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on Sunday, sending the Three Lions through to the World Cup quarterfinals despite playing more than half the match with ten men.

England broke the deadlock in the 36th minute when Bukayo Saka’s looping cross found Bellingham at the back post for a diving header. Moments later, a sloppy Mexican giveaway let Elliot Anderson steal possession, and Bellingham was on hand again to turn home Harry Kane’s low cross for his second of the night.

Mexico, who had not conceded a goal all tournament, hit back before halftime when Julián Quiñones slammed home a loose ball after England failed to clear a free kick, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

The game turned again nine minutes into the second half when defender Jarell Quansah was shown a red card for a reckless challenge on Jesús Gallardo, leaving England to see out more than 40 minutes a man short in the thin Mexico City air. Despite the setback, England extended their lead when Kane converted a penalty after Anthony Gordon was fouled in the box, making it 3-1.

Mexico refused to fold, with Raúl Jiménez converting a penalty of his own to set up a nervy finish, but goalkeeper Jordan Pickford produced a string of key saves to preserve the win.

The victory ends Mexico’s run on home soil and sends England into a quarterfinal meeting with Norway, who stunned Brazil in the previous round. It marks the third straight World Cup in which England have reached the last eight, continuing manager Thomas Tuchel’s strong start since taking charge of the team.

Erling Haaland’s second-half double helped Norway stun five-time winners Brazil and book their place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time.

Brazil were left to rue Bruno Guimaraes’ missed penalty in the first half as Haaland, who had a quiet game until that moment, stole ahead of centre-back Gabriel to meet a cross from Andreas Schjelderup and put Norway ahead in the 79th minute.

The Manchester City striker then sealed Norway’s progress with a superb low drive from outside the box in the 90th minute.

Brazil were awarded a second penalty in the dying seconds of the game after referee Ismail Elfath deemed Leo Ostigard to have elbowed Casemiro and Neymar converted.

But it proved a mere consolation for Brazil, who exit the tournament before the quarter-finals for the first time since 1990.

In the quarter-finals, Norway will face either England or co-hosts Mexico, who meet in the last 16 in Mexico City on Monday at 4AM.