World Cup Daily: Matches and storylines for June 18
Canada and Mexico will continue World Cup play on Thursday, with the teams in very different positions — but still able to win their groups. Also, we quickly tour what we learned in the first group stage matches.
We're back around to the co-hosts playing again!
Mexico and Canada are back hosting matches again, as the second group stage matches start up on Thursday. For Mexico, it's about taking the momentum of beating South Africa and beating a similarly-named (but not similarly-constituted) South Korea.
For Canada, it's about trying to get a first win in its World Cup history, looking like its winning-the-group aspirations were doomed following its opening draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, only for Qatar to bail out Les Rouges with a very late equalizer against a Switzerland team that let Qatar hang around. As a Canada fan, I'm hoping Jesse Marsch takes the lessons of the first group stage games into practical application.
Three things we learned in the first group stage matches
Cabo Verde is our new favorite team.
Most of the goalscorers we thought would come through (Messi, Mbappé, Haaland, Kane, and yes, Balogun) came through with at least a brace in their respective games.
Cristiano Ronaldo is washed. (And that draw against DR Congo could doom them to a Round of 16 match against Spain, unless its draw against Cabo Verde doomed it.)
Group A
Predictions
Projected winner: Mexico (12)
Projected runner-up: South Korea (22)
Projected 3rd-place team: Czechia (44)
Projected 4th-place team: South Africa (61)
Past matches
Mexico 2, South Africa 0 (June 11, Mexico City)
South Korea 2, Czechia 1 (June 11, Guadalajara)
Today's matches
Czechia vs. South Africa: Thursday, June 18, 11 am (Atlanta)
Mexico vs. South Korea: Thursday, June 18, 8 pm (Guadalajara)
Future matches
Czechia vs. Mexico: Wednesday, June 24, 8 pm (Mexico City)
South Africa vs. South Korea: Wednesday, June 24, 8 pm(Guadalajara)
Most compelling narrative
With clear winners and clear losers established in Group A, what Mexico does against what is clearly the toughest team in its group on Thursday will go a long way to determining whether Mexico will play its Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches in Mexico City or get shunted off to Los Angeles and then Houston.
Player to watch
Raúl Jiménez scored in the opener and it appears that as he'll go, so will El Tri. However, Brian Gutierrez played relatively well in the midfield, and I'm curious to see what level of spark the Berwyn-born ball progressor will give his team in the upcoming matches.
Group B
Predictions
Projected winner: Canada (32)
Projected runner-up: Switzerland (19)
Projected 3rd-place team: Bosnia & Herzegovina (63)
Projected 4th-place team: Qatar (49)
Past matches
Canada 1, Bosnia & Herzegovina 1 (June 12, Toronto)
Switzerland 1, Qatar 1 (June 12, Santa Clara, Calif.)
Today's matches
Switzerland vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Thursday, June 18, 2 pm (Inglewood, Calif.)
Canada vs. Qatar: Thursday, June 18, 5 pm (Vancouver)
Future matches
Switzerland vs. Canada: Wednesday, June 24, 2 pm(Vancouver)
Bosnia & Herzegovina vs. Qatar, Wednesday, June 24, 2 pm(Seattle)
Most compelling narrative
Again, it's how far Canada can go. Does this team have a World Cup win in it? Is winning the group something it can muster? As with Mexico, winning the group vs. finishing in second is the difference between starting the knockout rounds in its home country vs. moving to American stadiums.
Player to watch
Perhaps the two most important players for making Canada mobile — Ali Ahmed and Alphonso Davies – were sidelined with injuries for the first match. It looks like Ahmed will get the nod Thursday while Davies is still unable to go, but if he can at all, depending on game state, I have a hunch we might see him in limited minutes.
Where to watch
Canada plays; Haymaker (2310 Manor Road) serves poutine. In lieu of an official Canada watch party, this seems a good default.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
Only eight teams of the 48 in the tournament haven't played a World Cup game yet. That changes on Wednesday, as England's group and Portugal's group get started.
Robert Taylor's time at Austin FC ended on Tuesday. That makes it more likely that a rumored incoming player will be the final one delivered by Rodolfo Borrell.
We're back around to the co-hosts playing again!
Mexico and Canada are back hosting matches again, as the second group stage matches start up on Thursday. For Mexico, it's about taking the momentum of beating South Africa and beating a similarly-named (but not similarly-constituted) South Korea.
For Canada, it's about trying to get a first win in its World Cup history, looking like its winning-the-group aspirations were doomed following its opening draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, only for Qatar to bail out Les Rouges with a very late equalizer against a Switzerland team that let Qatar hang around. As a Canada fan, I'm hoping Jesse Marsch takes the lessons of the first group stage games into practical application.
Three things we learned in the first group stage matches
Group A
Predictions
Past matches
Today's matches
Future matches
Most compelling narrative
With clear winners and clear losers established in Group A, what Mexico does against what is clearly the toughest team in its group on Thursday will go a long way to determining whether Mexico will play its Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches in Mexico City or get shunted off to Los Angeles and then Houston.
Player to watch
Raúl Jiménez scored in the opener and it appears that as he'll go, so will El Tri. However, Brian Gutierrez played relatively well in the midfield, and I'm curious to see what level of spark the Berwyn-born ball progressor will give his team in the upcoming matches.
Group B
Predictions
Past matches
Today's matches
Future matches
Most compelling narrative
Again, it's how far Canada can go. Does this team have a World Cup win in it? Is winning the group something it can muster? As with Mexico, winning the group vs. finishing in second is the difference between starting the knockout rounds in its home country vs. moving to American stadiums.
Player to watch
Perhaps the two most important players for making Canada mobile — Ali Ahmed and Alphonso Davies – were sidelined with injuries for the first match. It looks like Ahmed will get the nod Thursday while Davies is still unable to go, but if he can at all, depending on game state, I have a hunch we might see him in limited minutes.
Where to watch
Canada plays; Haymaker (2310 Manor Road) serves poutine. In lieu of an official Canada watch party, this seems a good default.
What to read
Here's how Nigeria is influencing Canada this time around.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
Read Next
World Cup Daily: Matches and storylines for June 19
The U.S. and Australia play for supremacy in Group D on Friday, while the three tracks for Brazil, Morocco, and Scotland get a little more defined.
World Cup Daily: Matches and storylines for June 17
Only eight teams of the 48 in the tournament haven't played a World Cup game yet. That changes on Wednesday, as England's group and Portugal's group get started.
Buy(out), Bye, Bye: Austin FC exercises buyout on Robert Taylor
Robert Taylor's time at Austin FC ended on Tuesday. That makes it more likely that a rumored incoming player will be the final one delivered by Rodolfo Borrell.
World Cup Daily: Matches and storylines for June 16
France, Argentina, and Norway make their 2026 World Cup debuts on Tuesday. Don't mind us; we're still buzzing about Cabo Verde.