World Cup predictions: Panama vs England, Colombia vs Portugal

The Athletic provided insights into the World Cup predictions for Matchday 17, featuring key matchups including Panama versus England, and Colombia against Portugal. The article serves as a resource for fans, highlighting the different predictions offered by Athletic writers and a guest subscriber, alongside an engaging algorithm from The Athletic.

On June 26, 2026, Matchday 16 saw remarkable performances, notably from Ousmane Dembele, who scored a hat-trick in France's 4-1 victory over Norway, marking his first international tournament goal after 20 appearances. France's strong lineup contrasted with a heavily rotated Norway side, where Stale Solbakken made ten changes, including benching star player Erling Haaland. Kylian Mbappe played a pivotal role, providing two assists to Dembele, while Norway only managed a consolation goal from Thelo Aasgaard. Senegal significantly bolstered their qualification hopes with a decisive 5-0 win over Iraq, with Habib Diarra opening the scoring early on. The dismissal of Iraq's defender Rebin Sulaka for a foul on Sadio Mane created more opportunities for Senegal, leading to impressive finishes from Ismaila Sarr and substitute Pape Gueye.

Cape Verde continued their historic World Cup journey with a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia, which confirmed their progression to the knockout stage. The match was marked by limited chances, with Cape Verde maintaining control and nearly securing a win, despite some missed opportunities. Spain's victory over Uruguay ensured that Cape Verde finished second in their group, with Uruguay facing elimination.

In a dramatic encounter, Iran's Shoja Khalilzadeh thought he had scored a late winner against Egypt, but it was ruled offside. This result secured Egypt’s place in the knockout round, raising uncertainty for Iran's fate. Meanwhile, Belgium comfortably topped their group with a commanding 5-1 win against New Zealand. A double from Leandro Trossard and goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku showcased Belgium's attacking prowess, resulting in a series of correct predictions from analysts and fans alike.

As the group stage nears its conclusion, the predictions competition heats up, with the Athletic experts briefly taking the lead in accuracy. With only a few matches left to determine the knockout stage configurations, excitement persists among fans as they anticipate the outcomes of the upcoming fixtures.