Excitement is building as we enter the second round of group stage matches at the 2026 World Cup, and BBC Sport's football expert, Chris Sutton, has got his predictions spot on! After a series of shocks in the opening fixtures, including the stunning draw between European champions Spain and Cape Verde in Group H, it's clear that anything can happen in this unpredictable tournament. With only 61 people out of over 37,000 correctly predicting the draw, and just 67 brave souls forecasting a Cape Verde win, Sutton is set to prove his mettle with another batch of accurate forecasts.
The stats are on Sutton's side, having demonstrated impressive accuracy in the first round, correctly calling 12 out of 24 opening group games. His AI model was hot on his heels, predicting 13 correct outcomes, while BBC predictor game users collectively achieved an impressive 14 correct results. Now, he's set to predict all 104 matches and provide his anticipated final standings for each of the 12 groups.
Looking ahead to Group A, Sutton is tipping a thrilling 1-0 victory for the Czech Republic over South Africa in the second round. He believes the Czechs will unleash their attacking arsenal after both teams suffered defeats in their opening matches. Meanwhile, he's backing Mexico to come out on top with a 2-1 win against South Korea, praising Julian Quinones' star performance and Mexico's lightning-fast attacks.
In Group B, where draws dominated the opening round, Sutton thinks we'll see another stalemate between Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina. He notes Bosnia's habit of sharing points, having racked up six consecutive draws in previous matches. However, he's predicting a 1-0 win for co-hosts Canada against Qatar, citing their high-octane play under Jesse Marsch and the numerous chances they created in their first game against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Will Sutton's predictions be spot on once again? Stay tuned to find out as the World Cup drama unfolds!