If the World Cup was the NCAA tournament ... a bracket breakdown
AP News • • sports
Key Points:
- The World Cup knockout stage bracket, predetermined by group results and FIFA rankings, creates uneven paths for teams, with some regions featuring tougher matchups than others.
- The Foxborough region includes strong early clashes like Netherlands vs. Morocco and a potential France vs. Germany Round of 16, making it a challenging path for top-ranked teams.
- The Inglewood region offers the U.S. a relatively favorable start against Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Portugal faces a tough opener against Croatia and possibly Spain next.
- The Miami Gardens region features heavy favorites Mexico and England likely meeting in the Round of 16 in Mexico City, with Brazil on a potentially easier route to the quarterfinals.
- Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, is top-seeded in the Kansas City region and faces lower-ranked Cape Verde initially, with a projected quarterfinal against Colombia if seeds hold; the semifinals and final locations are set for July 14-19 across U.S. cities.
