World Cup 2026: Chris Sutton predicts last-32 ties
BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton provides his predictions for the 2026 World Cup last-32 matches, including England versus DR Congo.
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With the group stage of the 2026 World Cup concluded, the tournament now moves into the high-stakes knockout phase. BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has shared his predictions for the last-32 ties, highlighting matches such as England's clash with DR Congo and the holders Argentina facing the surprise package of the tournament, Cape Verde.
As the competition narrows down, the performance of predictors is under the spotlight. So far, tournament participants are outperforming both the expert and AI, having correctly predicted 67% of the 72 matches played. Sutton currently sits at 57%, while the AI model holds a 60% success rate.
Sutton identifies France as the team to beat, citing their immense attacking firepower as a force currently unmatched by any other side. However, he warns of potential upsets elsewhere. In the Brazil versus Japan fixture, Sutton predicts an upset, questioning Brazil's midfield stability and their ability to cope with Japan's rapid transition game.
Regarding England, Sutton notes that their match against DR Congo will not be a simple task. Sebastien Desabre’s team has proven to be defensively resilient, and England will need to be sharp to break them down. Despite the potential for a difficult game, Sutton expects Thomas Tuchel's side to progress to the next round.