World Cup 2026: Cape Verde Reaches Knockout Stage, Egypt Advances as Belgium Dominates

Historic Milestone for Cape Verde

After a dramatic night in which Cape Verde reached the knockout stage, their draw against Saudi Arabia was enough to earn them second place in Group H and dump Uruguay out of the competition at the earliest available opportunity, after Marcelo Bielsa's side fell to a 1-0 defeat to Spain. This marks a significant breakthrough for the island nation, whose first-ever World Cup appearance in 2026 is already surpassing expectations with a spot in the knockout rounds.

Egypt's First-Ever Knockout Qualification

Egypt reached the knockout stage for the very first time after they drew 1-1 with Iran. Mahmoud Saber opened the scoring for the North African side before Ramin Rezaeian quickly equalised early in the first half. Shoja Khalilzadeh thought he had won the game for Iran in the 93rd minute, only for the goal to be overturned for offside by the VAR. The dramatic finish provided Egypt with a pathway to knockout competition on goal differential.

Belgium's Commanding Group Stage Performance

Belgium finally got their World Cup campaign started as they thrashed New Zealand 5-1 to top Group G with five points. A brace from Leandro Trossard was followed up with goals by Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers. The emphatic victory showcased Belgium's attacking prowess and secured first place in their group heading into the knockout stage.

England Ready for Panama

England are set to take on Panama on Saturday night having already qualified for the knockout stage. A win would see them top Group L. The match represents England's final group stage fixture before beginning their knockout campaign in pursuit of World Cup glory.