World Cup Matchday 3: Opta stats and tips for the final round of group matches

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Below are a selection of Opta stats and tips for World Cup matchday 3. All kick-offs are UK times.

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Wednesday 24 June 20:00 - Switzerland v Canada

On matchday two, Canada's Jonathan David netted the second hat-trick of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after Lionel Messi's for Argentina against Algeria. In the same match, David also became just the third player in the tournament's history (since 1966) to record 5+ shots on target (5) and 15+ touches in the opposition's box (15) in a match, after Eusébio vs DPR Korea in 1966 and Uwe Seeler vs Italy in 1970.

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Wednesday 24 June 23:00 - Scotland v Brazil

This will be Scotland's ninth competitive fixture against South American sides at the FIFA World Cup, failing to win any of their prior eight matches (D2 L6) while conceding 2.5 goals per game on average.

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Thursday 25 June 21:00 - Ecuador v Germany

Deniz Undav is currently averaging a goal or assist every 11 minutes at the FIFA World Cup, scoring three goals and assisting two in just 56 minutes of action as a substitute so far in 2026. No player has ever scored in their first three appearances at the World Cup as a substitute, while the only German players to score in their first three overall are Gerd Müller in 1970 and Miroslav Klose in 2002.

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Thursday 25 June 21:00 - Curacao v Ivory Coast

Côte d'Ivoire are looking to qualify for the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Indeed, having already won on MD1 of this tournament (1-0 v Ecuador), they could also win two matches in a single edition for the first time.

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Friday 26 June 00:00 - Japan v Sweden

Since the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Japan are unbeaten across their four matches against European opposition (W2 D2). Their two victories in that time are the same amount as their prior 10 fixtures against sides from the continent combined.

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Friday 26 June 00:00 - Tunisia v Netherlands

Tunisia have lost 5-1 to Sweden and 4-0 to Japan at this year's FIFA World Cup, with no side ever losing three games by four or more goals in a single FIFA World Cup tournament. The other sides to lose two by 4+ goals are Bolivia in 1930, Korea Republic in 1954 and Greece in 1994.

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Friday 26 June 20:00 - Norway v France

Kylian Mbappé has scored 16 goals in 16 matches at the FIFA World Cup, with only Lionel Messi netting more in the history of the competition (18), although the Frenchman has played 12 fewer games than Messi (28 appearances).

After netting a brace against both Iraq on MD1 and Senegal on MD2, Erling Haaland could become only the third player in FIFA World Cup history to net 2+ goals in each of his first three appearances in the competition after Argentina's Guillermo Stabile in 1930 and Hungary's Sándor Kocsis in 1954.

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Saturday 27 June 01:00 - Uruguay v Spain

Uruguay have drawn both of their games so far at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, only once before drawing three in a row (between 2002 and 2010). They were eliminated at the group stages in 2022, but have never gone out at this phase in consecutive appearances at the tournament.

Spain won their final group stage match at every edition of the FIFA World Cup between 1986 and 2014, but have failed to do so in the last two tournaments (2-2 v Morocco in 2018, 1-2 v Japan in 2022).

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Saturday 27 June 01:00 - Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia

Having won two of their first three FIFA World Cup games back in the 1994 edition (L1), Saudi Arabia have won just two of their subsequent 18 matches in the competition (D3 L13).

Cape Verde have drawn both of their games at the FIFA World Cup so far - the only nations to draw each of their first three in the competition are Wales (1958), Cameroon (1982) and Republic of Ireland (1990).

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Saturday 27 June 22:00 - Croatia v Ghana

Croatia are unbeaten in their four FIFA World Cup matches against African sides (W3 D1), scoring eight goals and conceding just one.

Croatia have only lost one of their last eight group stage games at the FIFA World Cup (W5 D2), keeping five clean sheets across these matches.

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Saturday 27 June 22:00 - Panama v England

Panama and England's only previous encounter was in the group stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup - England won 6-1, their largest World Cup victory to date. Panama have lost all five of their FIFA World Cup matches.

Harry Kane scored a hat-trick in England's only previous encounter with Panama at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, including two goals from the penalty spot. It was England's third hat-trick at the tournament, after Geoff Hurst (v West Germany in the 1966 final) and Gary Lineker (v Poland in 1986).

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Sunday 28 June 00:30 - Colombia v Portugal

Colombia and Portugal are facing each other for the very first time. Colombia are unbeaten in their last three FIFA World Cup matches against teams from UEFA (W2 D1, penalty shoot-outs excluded). Meanwhile, Portugal are unbeaten in their three group matches against sides from CONMEBOL (W2 D1)

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Sunday 28 June 03:00 - Jordan v Argentina

Argentina have opened the 2026 FIFA World Cup with two victories to nil, beating Algeria 3-0 and Austria 2-0. Only in the 1998 edition have they ever previously started with three wins and kept a clean sheet in each.

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Notable winners on Betting.Betfair so far at the 2026 World Cup...

- Mark Stinchcombe's stunning 38/139.00 Bet Builder in South Korea v Czechia
- Paul Higham's 9/25.50 Bet Builder in Mexico's MD1 defeat of South Africa
- Paul also tipped 13/53.60 (Canada v Bosnia) & 15/82.88 (Brazil v Morocco) draws
- A 6/17.00 winning ACCA for Mark on Sunday at the World Cup
- Andy Robson's 9/110.00 five-leg ACCA as Germany wallop Curacao
- A 13/53.60 winner for Paul as France beat Senegal with both teams scoring
- Paul's at it again, an 11/43.75 winning Best Bet in Switzerland v Bosnia
- An 11/26.50 winner for Jimmy The Punt as Jonathan David scores 2+ goals
- Paul's 2/13.00 headline tip in Germany v Ivory Coast was a winner
- Jack Critchley delivered a 5/16.00 goalscorer treble on day 13

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Get the latest on the thrilling World Cup Golden Boot race

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