The "Block of Death" at the 2026 World Cup

The knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup presents two distinct extremes: Argentina has a strong chance of progressing far, while Portugal faces a tough bracket with a series of formidable opponents.

Portugal is in an extremely difficult bracket.

On the right-hand side of the bracket, Argentina, Brazil , and England are considered the three most formidable powerhouses. Brazil will face Japan, England will take on the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Argentina will only meet Cape Verde.

The remaining matches, such as Mexico vs. Ecuador, Ivory Coast vs. Norway, Australia vs. Egypt, Switzerland vs. Algeria, and Colombia vs. Ghana, are all considered evenly matched.

At that time, the top contenders avoided intense early confrontations. The first major clash in this bracket was predicted to be between Brazil and England in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Argentina has the easiest path, having to overcome opponents who are considered much weaker, before facing Colombia or Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

Barring any surprises, Lionel Messi and his teammates will only face a real challenge in the semi-finals. There, Brazil or England will most likely be waiting.

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The left branch is considered more challenging than the right branch.

In stark contrast, the left-hand bracket is considered the "group of death," with a series of intense clashes right from the Round of 32. The highlight is the encounter between Portugal and Croatia. The winner risks facing Spain in the Round of 16, making the path to the next round extremely difficult.

Another noteworthy match is between the Netherlands and Morocco. The African representatives are in impressive form and continue to be considered a formidable opponent for any team, while the "Orange Tornado" is also a strong contender for the championship.

In addition, Germany vs. Paraguay, France vs. Sweden, Belgium vs. Senegal, and the USA vs. Bosnia all promise to create exciting matches.

With a clear distinction between the two brackets, the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup promises to witness high-stakes clashes right from the start, while also offering some contenders the opportunity to take advantage of a favorable schedule to get closer to the final.

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Source: https://znews.vn/nhanh-dau-tu-than-o-world-cup-2026-post1663969.html