Who await Messi and Co. in the knockout stage?

Argentina’s clinical 2-0 victory against Austria has safely secured their place in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup. While Lionel Scaloni’s men must wait for the result of the Jordan versus Algeria match early this morning to officially confirm first place in Group J, focus has already shifted to their next potential opponent.

Having picked up maximum points against Algeria and Austria, the reigning world champions are guaranteed to avoid a third-place finish. As things stand, a first or second-place finish means Argentina will square off against the runner-up of Group H, a spot currently occupied by Uruguay.

The Group H Permutations
A complex combination of results on Matchday 3, where Uruguay face Spain and Cape Verde take on Saudi Arabia, could significantly alter Argentina's next opponent. The potential scenarios shape up as follows:

• Spain: If Uruguay win while Cape Verde draw or lose, Spain will be the opponent. Spain will also face Argentina if Cape Verde win by four or more goals and Uruguay draw.
• Uruguay or Cape Verde (Tie-Breakers): If both Uruguay and Cape Verde win, the opponent will be whichever team finishes with the worst goal difference (both currently sit at zero). If they remain tied, it goes to the fewest goals in favour (currently both +2), and finally the worst discipline record in the Fair Play table (where Uruguay currently lead with one fewer yellow card).
• The Double Draw: If both Group H fixtures end in ties, the same tie-breaking criteria apply, though Uruguay and Cape Verde would be battling to avoid finishing second rather than chasing first.
• Cape Verde: If Cape Verde win by fewer than four goals and Uruguay draw, Cape Verde will book a date with Argentina. If Cape Verde win by exactly four goals, they will break the tie for first place with Spain on goals scored or fair play.
• Saudi Arabia: If Uruguay fail to win and Saudi Arabia secure a victory, the Saudis will become Argentina's opponents.

Key Knockout Dates (Bangladesh Standard Time)
Should Argentina successfully secure first place in their group, their schedule leading up to a potential final has already been mapped out. 

Bangladeshi fans can mark their calendars with the following converted kick-off times:

• Round of 32: Saturday, July 4 at 4:00 am
• Round of 16: Tuesday, July 7 at 10:00 pm
• Quarter-finals: Sunday, July 12 at 7:00 am
• Semi-final: Thursday, July 16 at 1:00 am
• World Cup Final: Monday, July 20 at 1:00 am 

The Potential Path to the Final
If the world champions battle their way into the Round of 16, they are slated to face the winner of the clash between the runners-up of Groups D and G - a matchup that currently projects to be Australia versus Belgium.

The quarter-finals could present a blockbuster showdown against Portugal (who are expected to face Colombia in their group). A less likely secondary option at this stage would be Switzerland or Canada, who share Group B alongside Qatar and Bosnia.

Should the top seeds all win their respective groups, a titanic semi-final clash against either heavyweight rivals Brazil or England looms on Argentina's side of the tournament bracket.

Meanwhile, the winners of groups E, I, F, H, and G reside entirely on the opposite side of the tournament draw. This ensures that Argentina can only face traditional powerhouses Germany, France, the Netherlands, or Spain in a hypothetical final - provided all five of those nations finish top of their respective groups.