One week into the 2026 World Cup and every team has played once. We’ve seen stars show up, a couple of big names go quiet (Cristiano Ronaldo, we’re looking at you), and a few lower-ranked teams scrap to draws that could change everything. Now matchday 2 starts Thursday, and it’s a big one for two host nations.
Mexico gets back on the field in Group A. Canada tries to build some momentum in Group B. Here’s what to watch for on June 18.
Thursday’s World Cup slate
Czechia vs. South Africa — Atlanta, Ga. — 12 p.m. ET (FOX, Telemundo/Peacock)
Odds: Czechia -125, Draw +255, South Africa +390
Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina — Los Angeles, Calif. — 3 p.m. ET (FOX, Telemundo/Peacock)
Odds: Switzerland -180, Draw +310, Bosnia and Herzegovina +500
Canada vs. Qatar — Vancouver, Canada — 6 p.m. ET (FS1, Telemundo/Peacock)
Odds: Canada -350, Draw +475, Qatar +1000
Mexico vs. South Korea — Guadalajara, Mexico — 9 p.m. ET (FOX, Telemundo/Peacock)
Odds: Mexico +105, Draw +230, South Korea +295
Three storylines for Day 8
For some teams, Thursday is basically do-or-die
Matchday 2 can be cruel. A loss here and you’re staring at an early flight home. South Africa is the clearest example. If they can’t get a result against Czechia, they’d be 0-2 with South Korea waiting on matchday 3. And even with eight third-place teams advancing, going 0-3 in Group A probably isn’t getting you through.
But Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar have a different math problem. Both teams already have a draw on the board. Even if they lose to Switzerland and Canada on Thursday, they still face each other on matchday 3. That game becomes a straight play-in for the knockout round. So no, the tournament isn’t over for either of them today.
Alphonso Davies: emergency button or luxury sub?
Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies is still not fully fit, but reports say he could play Thursday if needed. He won’t start. That’s the plan anyway.
Group B is tight — every team has one point — so beating Qatar is huge for Canada. On paper, Canada is the better side and should win. But Qatar is annoying to play against, and if things get messy, Davies might be forced into action.
Canadian fans would love to see him make his tournament debut. But if he has to come on in a panic situation, that says something about the team’s depth that Jessie Marsch probably doesn’t want to hear.
Mexico’s real World Cup starts now
Mexico’s opener against South Africa was basically a scrimmage. Julian Quinones scored in the ninth minute, South Africa got two red cards in the second half, and Mexico cruised. They barely broke a sweat.
South Korea is a different animal. Organized, skilled, dangerous in transition. And Mexico will have to deal with them without Cesar Montes, who picked up a red card late in that first game. He’s their best defender.
So the question is real now: Is Mexico actually a contender in this tournament? Or did they just look like one against a team that handed them a win? We’ll find out Thursday night in Guadalajara.
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