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The expanded 48-team World Cup has reached its halfway point, with 54 of 104 matches complete. Thirteen teams — including co-hosts Canada, the United States and Mexico — have already clinched Round of 32 berths, while seven nations have been eliminated. The tournament has produced 161 goals, an average of 2.98 per game, the highest scoring rate at a men's World Cup in more than 50 years. Lionel Messi leads all players with five goals, while Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Júnior have four apiece heading into the final days of group play.

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Canada is training in Vancouver on Thursday as it turns its attention to Sunday's Round of 32 match against South Africa in Los Angeles. South Africa secured the matchup by upsetting South Korea 1-0 last night, finishing second in Group A. Canada lost 2-1 to Switzerland yesterday but still reached the knockout stage for the first time by finishing runner-up in Group B. Questions about captain Alphonso Davies' availability persist after coach Jesse Marsch admitted he dressed the injured star as a "decoy," saying Switzerland spent part of its pre-match preparation planning for Davies even though he did not play.

10:15 a.m.

Six World Cup matches are on the schedule on Thursday as Groups D, E, and F wrap up. Ecuador must beat Germany at 4 p.m. to keep its tournament hopes alive, while the Ivory Coast can clinch its first-ever knockout-stage berth with a win over Curacao at the same time. Japan meets Sweden, and the Netherlands faces Tunisia at 7 p.m., before Paraguay plays Australia and the United States takes on Turkey at 10 p.m.

This report by ºÃÉ«tvwas first published June 25, 2026.