U.S. won’t play England in Philadelphia on 250th birthday — who will the hosts open up against in knockout stage?

Nairavoice | Jun 25, 2026 59m ago 127 0 5 min read

U.S. won’t play England in Philadelphia on 250th birthday — who will the hosts open up against in knockout stage?

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As group play nears an end Saturday, the FIFA World Cup bracket is beginning to shape up as teams are battling for the final few spots remaining.

Since June 11, 48 teams representing their countries have competed in their respective groups for a chance to play in the single-elimination bracket that begins Sunday.

Who the U.S. will play

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Contrary to a popular TikTok made by JaseInAmerica proclaiming his fear of a potential matchup between England and the U.S. in the World Cup on the 250th anniversary of the two countries’ divorce, the two never actually had a chance to face off against each other.

And the U.S. won’t make Philadelphia, either, since the team has already clinched the top spot in Group D.

The U.S. already knows it will play its first tournament game at Levi’s Stadium on Wednesday, July 1, against the third-place team of either group B, E, F, I or J. Which group is unclear, as FIFA determines matchups to avoid repeats between the same groups for as many rounds as possible.

Which matchups to pay attention to

Japan vs. Sweden — Group F

After opening with a thrilling draw against the Netherlands, Japan faces Sweden to close out group play. The Dutch will face eliminated Tunisia, and in the case madness occurs with a Tunisia win, the top bid will be determined between Japan and Sweden. A Japan win or draw would keep Japan above the Swedes.

However, the scenario hinges on a Dutch loss, where a win could see a tie break with Japan.

Time: Thursday, 5 p.m. MDT

France vs. Norway — Group I

France, the 2022 World Cup runner-up, has shown a strong performance thus far after scoring three goals in each match against Senegal and Iraq. Norway is also 2-0, and the two face off Friday in a match featuring Kylian Mbappé and Norway star Erling Haaland to determine the top participant from Group I.

Time: Friday, 1 p.m. MDT

Group E

At the head of the pack in Group E is Germany, which has already locked up first place, but with one game left, a lot could still change for the group. Tied for third with Curaçao at 1 point apiece, Ecuador and the island country are looking to stave off elimination.

Germany will play an inconsequential game for itself against Ecuador, while the Ivory Coast can lock up the second spot and a face-off against the loser of France and Norway if it ties or defeats Curaçao.

Time: Thursday, 2 p.m. MDT

Croatia vs. Ghana — Group L

England and Ghana may be tied for first place as it stands, but if England fails to win, they could see Croatia jump from third to first with a win over Ghana.

Time: Saturday, 3 p.m. MDT

Australia vs. Paraguay — Group D

The U.S. has already locked in Group D’s top bid, but vying for the second spot is Australia and Paraguay, who will duke it out on the field. Should the match end in a draw, the tiebreak belongs to Australia.

Time: Thursday, 8 p.m. MDT

Colombia vs. Portugal — Group K

In his sixth World Cup appearance, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal will face Colombia in their final group stage match. Already secured in the top two, and looking to finish first, a victory over Ecuador puts Portugal in first place, if not they will be matched up with the second-place finisher in Group L.

Time: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. MDT

Surprise countries vying for bids

Cape Verde

After coming away from a match with Spain in its World Cup opener, Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalie, Josimar Dias, became a hero after holding Spain to zero goals. His performance even went viral as he gained 4 million followers on Instagram overnight. He currently sits at 16 million.

The surprise team sits tied with Uruguay for second place in Group H with only Saudi Arabia remaining. A win will ensure that Cape Verde’s first World Cup appearance results in an advancement to the tournament stage. A loss will send the West African country packing, and with a draw, they will have to play the waiting game.

Time: Friday, 6 p.m. MDT

Congo

After playing to a stunning draw with Portugal, Congo could secure a spot as one of the top eight third-place teams, since odds of winning a tiebreak with Portugal are slim due to both teams’ goal differentials.

Congo will face Uzbekistan Saturday.

Time: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. MDT

Curaçao

After being blown out by Germany 7-1 in its opener, Curaçao followed it up with a 0-0 draw with Ecuador who it is currently tied with for third place in Group E. With a poor goal differential, Curaçao likely needs to secure the second-place spot, which it can do with a victory against the Ivory Coast and Germany taking care of business against Ecuador.

Time: Thursday, 2 p.m. MDT