World Cup predictions: Mexico vs South Korea, Canada vs Qatar and more

World Cup predictions: Mexico vs South Korea, Canada vs Qatar and moreWorld Cup Day 8 featuring Mexico vs South Korea, Canada vs Qatar and the latest tournament talking points.A Mexico fan wearing a wrestling mask holds a replica World Cup trophy in the stands before a match in Guadalajara [File: Reuters]Published On 18 Jun 2026The World Cup on Thursday features four more group-stage matches, including a meeting between Mexico and South Korea after both teams opened the tournament with wins.The race for the Golden Boot is already taking shape, Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are celebrating historic results, and debates over hydration breaks, diversity in football and Africa’s growing presence at the tournament continue to generate discussion.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Wissa header earns DR Congo first World Cup point in draw with Portugallist 2 of 4World Cup: Diaz dazzles as Colombia beat newcomers Uzbekistan 3-1list 3 of 4Kane double fires England past Croatia in World Cup thrillerlist 4 of 4Yoane Wissa: Acid attack survivor who made World Cup history for DR Congoend of listHere’s what to know:What is the schedule for Thursday? Czechia vs South Africa at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States at noon (16:00 GMT) Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina at Los Angeles Stadium in Los Angeles, California, at noon (19:00 GMT) Canada vs Qatar at Vancouver Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada at 3pm (22:00 GMT) Mexico vs South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, at 7pm (01:00 GMT on Friday) What are the predictions for Mexico vs South Korea?Mexico have a strong record against South Korea, winning both of their previous World Cup meetings, including a 2-1 victory in Russia 2018.While both teams boosted their knockout-stage hopes with opening wins, Opta’s supercomputer favours Mexico in this Group A clash. Across 25,000 simulations, El Tri won 49.1 percent of the time, compared with 24.3 percent for South Korea, while 26.6 percent ended in a draw.What are the predictions for Czechia vs South Africa?Czechia and South Africa have met only once before. South Africa have a solid record against European opposition at the World Cup, including a famous 2-1 win over France in 2010, and have lost only one of their last four such matches.The Czechs, meanwhile, lost 2-0 to Ghana in their only previous World Cup match against African opposition. Opta’s supercomputer calculates Czechia as the favourites, giving them a 54.9 percent chance of victory, compared with 21.8 percent for South Africa.What are the predictions for Switzerland vs Bosnia?This will be the first World Cup meeting between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The only previous match between the two nations came in a friendly in Zurich in 2016 when Bosnia claimed a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic.Despite that result, Switzerland enter this match as the clear favourites. According to Opta’s supercomputer, Switzerland won 61.6 percent of 25,000 pre-match simulations while Bosnia came out on top in 17 percent. A draw was predicted in 21.4 percent of the scenarios.What are the predictions for Canada vs Qatar?History favours the hosts in this matchup. On the three previous occasions a World Cup host nation has faced an Asian federation team, the hosts have won every time: Mexico beat Iraq in 1986, France defeated Saudi Arabia in 1998 and Russia also overcame Saudi Arabia in 2018.Opta’s supercomputer predicts that trend will continue. Canada were victorious in 72.9 percent of 25,000 pre-match simulations while a draw occurred in 16.5 percent. Qatar are given just a 10.6 percent chance of pulling off an upset.What else is shaping the World Cup?The first round of matches has already produced memorable moments, surprise results and stories beyond the scorelines. Here are some of the biggest talking points from around the World Cup:Golden Boot race already fierceLionel Messi leads the race for the World Cup’s Golden Boot with three goals after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening win over Algeria.A group of seven players sits one goal behind: France’s Kylian Mbappe Norway’s Erling Haaland USA forward Folarin Balogun Germany’s Kai Havertz Sweden’s Yasin Ayari New Zealand’s Elijah Just England captain Harry Kane DR Congo make World Cup historyYoane Wissa scored the DRC’s first-ever World Cup goal during their unexpected 1-1 draw with the team FIFA ranks fifth in the world – Portugal.The Newcastle United forward headed home shortly after half-time in Houston, Texas, to cancel out an early goal from Portugal’s Joao Neves, earning a historic point for the Leopards in their first World Cup appearance in 52 years. The milestone sparked celebrations among Congolese supporters in the stadium and around the world.Colombia begin with a winColombia made a successful start to their World Cup campaign by beating tournament debutants Uzbekistan 3-1 at Mexico City Stadium.Luis Diaz was the standout performer, setting up Daniel Munoz for the opening goal before scoring Colombia’s second after the break. Uzbekistan briefly levelled through Abbosbek Fayzullaev, but the South Americans regained control and secured all three points.The victory gives Colombia an early boost in Group K as they look to return to the knockout stages after missing the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.Biggest surprises of the first round?Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw with Spain is arguably the biggest surprise of the initial group matches. The World Cup newcomers held one of the tournament favourites to a draw and earned a historic point in their first-ever World Cup match.The DRC’s 1-1 draw with Portugal also ranks among the tournament’s biggest shocks while Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand raised eyebrows after Iran were widely expected to win their Group G opener.World Cup teams united across faiths and backgroundsSeveral World Cup squads include players from different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, reflecting the diversity of the countries they represent.England, France, Spain and Sweden are among the nations whose teams include both Christian and Muslim players. Spain’s teenage star Lamine Yamal and Sweden midfielder Yasin Ayari are among a growing number of Muslim footballers competing on the sport’s biggest stage.Some analysts see these teams as examples of how people from different backgrounds can work together despite wider debates over immigration, identity and integration in parts of Europe. Eboo Patel, president of Interfaith America, said the cooperation seen on the pitch sends a powerful message.“They score, they each say their respective prayers and then they’re hugging each other,” Patel said. “You’re cooperating to build a community and a team. It’s the way you build an excellent soccer team.”Cristiano Ronaldo’s record sixth World Cup appearance ends in disappointmentThe 41-year-old became one of only two players, alongside Lionel Messi, to feature in six World Cups, but he was unable to find the net despite several chances in the second half. His missed opportunities were especially notable after stars including Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane all scored in their opening matches.Portugal dropped points in their Group K opener, leaving Ronaldo and his teammates looking for a bounce-back performance in their next group fixture.Hydration breaks spark debateFIFA’s new hydration breaks, introduced to help players cope with summer heat in the US, Canada and Mexico, are drawing criticism from pundits and fans who say they disrupt the flow of the matches and can shift momentum.The debate intensified after Curacao scored against Germany before a hydration break in Houston, only to concede twice before half-time in an eventual 7-1 defeat. Former England striker Alan Shearer said the stoppage “killed their momentum” while former Ireland captain Roy Keane compared the breaks to timeouts, arguing they interrupt the pace that makes football unique.