⚽Stars of the tournament
The current championship has become the stage for a generational battle between the greatest goalscorers, and after the group stage the scoring charts are led by Lionel Messi. At almost 39 years of age, the Argentine captain is not only carrying the defending champions but has also become the top scorer in World Cup history. Hot on his heels are two forwards in stunning form — Erling Haaland of Norway and France's Kylian Mbappé, the reigning Golden Boot winner and the biggest favourite to retain it.
England are relying on 2018 Golden Boot winner Harry Kane, backed by world-class midfielder Jude Bellingham. Spain are lit up by the tournament's greatest young talent Lamine Yamal and midfield engine Pedri, while Brazil's attack is driven by Vinícius Júnior and the returning Neymar. Two legends have lined up for a record sixth World Cup — Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and 40-year-old Croatian midfielder Luka Modrić. Among the playmakers, Bruno Fernandes and Michael Olise are the most closely watched, while among goalkeepers Spain's David Raya is the top favourite for the Golden Glove.
🥇Top scorers in World Cup history
The ongoing championship has already rewritten history — Messi has broken Miroslav Klose's long-standing record and pushed the all-time mark to new heights.
Messi and Mbappé are still active — their goal tallies will keep changing during the knockout stage.
🗺️How the play-off bracket works
The new 48-team format has added an extra round to the play-offs. Teams don't go straight from the groups into the round of 16, but first into the round of 32, where 32 teams meet. The road to the title now takes eight matches and looks like this: round of 32 → round of 16 → quarter-finals → semi-finals → final. Times are in Central European Summer Time (CEST).
🔴Round of 32
New York / New Jersey
❓Frequently asked questions
Match times are in Central European Summer Time (CEST) according to the FIFA schedule. Pairings from the round of 16 onwards will be confirmed once the round of 32 has been played.