Round of 32 predictions: Experts pick who will advance in World Cup bracket
The World Cup's inaugural round of 32 begins Sunday, June 28 with the first of 16 games that run through July 3 and the winners advancing to the last 16.
With 48 teams, this is the biggest World Cup ever and the knockout round was expanded to 32 from 16, allowing the top two group finishers – and now the eight best third-place teams – to advance into the win-or-go-home stage.
The matchups include a few games we might have expected to see later in the tournament including Netherlands-Morocco and Portugal-Croatia. All three co-hosts moved on to the knockout round with the United States facing Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mexico taking on Ecuador and Canada playing South Africa in the round of 32.
Here's a look at the USA TODAY Sports soccer writers and editors' predictions for the first round of knockout games:
South Africa vs. Canada
- Jon Arnold: Canada
- Seth Vertelney: Canada
- Nancy Armour: South Africa
- Jesse Yomtov: Canada
- Victoria Hernandez: Canada
Brazil vs Japan
- Jon Arnold: Brazil
- Seth Vertelney: Brazil
- Nancy Armour: Japan
- Jesse Yomtov: Brazil
- Victoria Hernandez: Brazil
Germany vs Paraguay
- Jon Arnold: Germany
- Seth Vertelney: Germany
- Nancy Armour: Germany
- Jesse Yomtov: Germany
- Victoria Hernandez: Germany
Netherlands vs Morocco
- Jon Arnold: Netherlands
- Seth Vertelney: Netherlands
- Nancy Armour: Netherlands
- Jesse Yomtov: Netherlands
- Victoria Hernandez: Netherlands
Ivory Coast vs Norway
- Jon Arnold: Ivory Coast
- Seth Vertelney: Norway
- Nancy Armour: Norway
- Jesse Yomtov: Norway
- Victoria Hernandez: Ivory Coast
Mexico vs Ecuador
- Jon Arnold: Mexico
- Seth Vertelney: Mexico
- Nancy Armour: Mexico
- Jesse Yomtov: Mexico
- Victoria Hernandez: Mexico
Belgium vs Senegal
- Jon Arnold: Belgium
- Seth Vertelney: Senegal
- Nancy Armour: Senegal
- Jesse Yomtov: Belgium
- Victoria Hernandez: Belgium
USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Jon Arnold: United States
- Seth Vertelney: United States
- Nancy Armour: United States
- Jesse Yomtov: United States
- Victoria Hernandez: United States
Spain vs Austria
- Jon Arnold: Spain
- Seth Vertelney: Spain
- Nancy Armour: Spain
- Jesse Yomtov: Spain
- Victoria Hernandez: Spain
Portugal vs Croatia
- Jon Arnold: Portugal
- Seth Vertelney: Portugal
- Nancy Armour: Croatia
- Jesse Yomtov: Croatia
- Victoria Hernandez: Croatia
Switzerland vs Algeria
- Jon Arnold: Switzerland
- Seth Vertelney: Algeria
- Nancy Armour: Algeria
- Jesse Yomtov: Switzerland
- Victoria Hernandez: Switzerland
Australia vs Egypt
- Jon Arnold: Australia
- Seth Vertelney: Egypt
- Nancy Armour: Australia
- Jesse Yomtov: Australia
- Victoria Hernandez: Egypt
Argentina vs Cape Verde
- Jon Arnold: Argentina
- Seth Vertelney: Argentina
- Nancy Armour: Argentina
- Jesse Yomtov: Argentina
- Victoria Hernandez: Argentina
Colombia vs Ghana
- Jon Arnold: Colombia
- Seth Vertelney: Colombia
- Nancy Armour: Ghana
- Jesse Yomtov: Ghana
- Victoria Hernandez: Ghana