Lorraine Williamson
The World Cup has moved from the long group-stage marathon into the sudden pressure of the knock-out rounds, with Spain preparing to face Austria and plenty still to follow for readers in Spain watching England, Canada, the USA, and Australia, while Scotland are among the teams already heading home.
Spain’s reward for winning Group H is a last-32 tie against Austria at Los Angeles Stadium on Thursday, July 2. The match kicks off at 9.00 pm in mainland Spain, which is at least a civilised time for anyone watching from home, a bar terrace or a holiday apartment with one eye on the late-night heat.
Luis de la Fuente’s side reached the knock-out rounds after topping a group that also included Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. Their final group match, a hard-fought 1-0 win over Uruguay, secured first place but also left Spain with injury concerns. El País reported that Nico Williams has a muscle injury in his right adductor, while Yeremy Pino has an acromioclavicular sprain, with both described by the Spanish federation as moderate injuries.
If Spain beat Austria, they will face the winner of Portugal against Croatia in the round of 16 on Monday, July 6. That would give Spain a demanding European tie almost immediately after the first knock-out test.
Canada start the knock-out round
Canada are first into knock-out action, facing South Africa on Sunday, June 28, at 9.00 pm Spain time. It is one of the easiest matches to watch from Spain, with no midnight calculations, no alarm setting, and no need to decide whether football is worth ruining the next morning for.
England also have a manageable kick-off time. They play DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 1, at 6.00 pm in Spain. DR Congo reached the last 32 after a 3-1 comeback win over Uzbekistan, with Yoane Wissa scoring twice as the team secured its first World Cup win and progressed as one of the best third-placed sides.
The USA are still in the tournament too, but that one is far less friendly for viewers in Spain. Their match against Bosnia-Herzegovina starts at 2.00 am on Thursday, meaning it is one for the committed fans, the night owls, or anyone prepared to set an alarm and hope the result is worth it. Australia’s match against Egypt is kinder, at 8.00 pm on Friday, while Ghana’s meeting with Colombia starts at 3.30 am on Saturday.
Scotland among the teams heading home
The expanded format means 32 teams move on, but 16 have now left the tournament. Scotland are among those heading home after finishing outside the best third-placed sides, with their 3-0 defeat to Group C winners Brazil proving too damaging to overcome.
Scotland began with a 1-0 win over Haiti, but defeats to Morocco and Brazil left them on three points and with a negative goal difference. Their hopes depended on results elsewhere, but those did not fall in their favour.
New Zealand, South Korea, Iran, Uruguay, Panama, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Iraq, Tunisia, Curaçao, Turkey, Haiti, Qatar, Czechia and Saudi Arabia are also out. Uruguay’s exit is one of the more striking stories of the group phase, while Cape Verde’s progress from Spain’s group gives the knock-out stage one of its stronger underdog stories.
Spain’s white shirt becomes a fan story
Spain’s progress has also been accompanied by an unexpected off-pitch talking point: the popularity of the team’s white away shirt. El País reported that the retro-style shirt, in white and beige tones, had sold out even before Spain’s first game and has been praised online as one of the best-looking kits of the tournament.
The appeal appears to go beyond football. The white shirt has been described as more wearable and less directly tied to the red and yellow colours of the Spanish flag, which can still carry political and historical weight for some people in Spain. For supporters, it offers a softer way to back the national team without the stronger symbolism of the traditional red shirt.
That sensitivity is not only theoretical. Cadena SER reported that three people were identified by the Ertzaintza in Vitoria-Gasteiz after allegedly threatening and pushing a person during neighbourhood fiestas because they were wearing a Spain national team shirt. Police are investigating alleged minor injuries, coercion and a possible hate crime.
When to watch from Spain
Sunday, June 28: South Africa v Canada, 9.00 pm.
Monday, June 29: Brazil v Japan, 7.00 pm; Germany v Paraguay, 10.30 pm.
Tuesday, June 30: Netherlands v Morocco, 3.00 am; Ivory Coast v Norway, 7.00 pm; France v Sweden, 11.00 pm.
Wednesday, July 1: Mexico v Ecuador, 3.00 am; England v DR Congo, 6.00 pm; Belgium v Senegal, 10.00 pm.
Thursday, July 2: United States v Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2.00 am; Spain v Austria, 9.00 pm.
Friday, July 3: Portugal v Croatia, 1.00 am; Switzerland v Algeria, 5.00 am; Australia v Egypt, 8.00 pm.
Saturday, July 4: Argentina v Cape Verde, midnight; Colombia v Ghana, 3.30 am.
Some fixtures sit nicely in the evening. Others are strictly for the dedicated, the sleepless, or those willing to set an alarm and creep downstairs without waking the whole house.
The group stage is now complete, with every team having played three matches. The expanded 48-team World Cup now moves into the Round of 32, which runs from Sunday, June 28 to Friday, July 3. The Round of 16 begins on Saturday, July 4, once the first knock-out matches have decided who continues.