Group B – A Challenge for Iran
England sits in first place in Group B, having won 4 points. Iran sits in second place with 3 points, the USA in third with 2 points, and Wales has 1 point. England will play against Wales and Iran will play against the USA in the final round. England can only miss out on qualification if Wales beats the team by 6 or more goals, and Iran or the USA win their game. It seems unlikely that England will fail to qualify for the round of 16, and winning against Wales will secure them first place in the group. Wales has little to no chance of qualifying for the next round. The game between Iran and the USA will most likely determine which team will qualify alongside England. Though Iran lost to England and the USA drew 0-0, Iran has shown more determination in the tournament, and if they continue their form then they will cause the USA problems.
Group C – A True Test for Argentina
Poland is at the top of Group C with 4 points. Argentina and Saudi Arabia both have 3 points each, though Argentina has a better goal difference, and Mexico sits in last place with 1 point. Poland will face Argentina in the last match, whilst Saudi Arabia will play against Mexico. Despite their shaky start, Argentina has a chance to top the group. Saudi Arabia will need to win their last game to qualify for the round of 16, and they have shown fierce determination in the tournament so far.
Group D – A Chance for Australia
France sits at the top of Group D with 6 points, Australia has 3 points, and Denmark and Tunisia sit in third and fourth place with 1 point each. France has already qualified for the knockout stage, so they are not under much pressure in their last game against Tunisia. Australia and Denmark will play against each other in their last match. Australia needs a win to finish second, or a draw - if Tunisia does not hammer France. They are in a much more comfortable place than Denmark, who will need to beat Australia to stand a chance at qualifying for the round of 16. Tunisia can only qualify if they beat France and Australia does not beat Denmark.
Group E – A Tough Time for Germany
Spain is the leader of Group E with 4 points, followed by Japan and Costa Rica with 3 points each, and Germany with a single point. Spain will play against Japan in the last match, whilst Germany will play against Costa Rica. Spain can finish first in the group if they beat Japan, although Japan is not an easy opponent to play against. Germany will need to secure all 3 points if they have any chance of making the round of 16.
Group F – All Eyes on Belgium and Croatia
Croatia has 4 points and is the leader of Group F. Morocco also has 4 points, though they sit in second place on goal difference, Belgium has 3 points, and Canada has 0 points. Belgium will face Croatia and Canada will face Morocco in the last round. Croatia vs Belgium will be the highlight game in this round, with the fate of either team bound to the result of the game. Morocco has had some outstanding performances, though Canada cannot yet be dismissed.
Group G – Looking Good for Brazil
Brazil sits in first place in Group G with 3 points, and they are followed by Switzerland with 3 points, Cameroon with 0 points, and Serbia with 0 points. Brazil will play against Switzerland and Cameroon will play against Serbia in the second round. In the third round, Brazil will play against Cameroon and Serbia will play against Switzerland. Brazil will be the favourites to win the group, and though Serbia had a poor start, the team is expected to bounce back in their next games. Switzerland is in a good position with their win, but their next two matches will be their hardest. Cameroon will need to pick up points against Serbia if they have any chance of reaching the knockout stage.
Group H – A Wide Open Group
Portugal sits at the top of Group H with 3 points. South Korea and Uruguay both have 1 point each and Ghana has no points. Portugal will play against Uruguay in the second round and South Korea will play against Ghana. In the third round, Portugal will play South Korea, and Uruguay will play Ghana. The match between Portugal and Uruguay may determine which team will finish top of the group. Portugal is in good form after their first match win, though they have concerns in the defence. Uruguay and South Korea played a 0-0 draw, and both teams will need to work on their finishing. Ghana may be the underdogs in the group, though they had a praiseworthy first game. They will also be among the contenders to qualify for the qualifying round.