Today at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: June 25

By Deniss Novickis | Published: June 25, 2026, 10:20

Groups C, D and E will come to a conclusion on Thursday, and there are plenty of interesting matches to look forward to. Germany and the USA already won their groups, while Turkey and Tunisia will play for pride only. MightyTips returns with a World Cup value bet of the day and risky parlay of the day, along with predictions for every match on the Matchday and some tournament trivia. One key point for World Cup betting to keep in mind: blindly backing every favourite is rarely a smart strategy at this stage, as several teams may have little or no motivation left to play for.

Match 55: Curaçao - Ivory Coast, 22:00 CET, June 25
Match 56: Ecuador - Germany, 22:00 CET, June 25
Match 57: Japan - Sweden, 01:00 CET, June 26
Match 58: Tunisia - Netherlands, 01:00 CET, June 26
Match 59: Paraguay - Australia, 04:00 CET, June 26
Match 60: Turkey - USA, 04:00 CET, June 26

The Netherlands had one of the best performances in the first two games, showing quick and creative attacking football, and a big victory should clinch them the top spot in the group. Tunisia have nothing to play for; moreover, there are serious problems in the squad, as the players claim they aren’t paid properly by the federation. With the Dutch going full throttle in this one, I can’t see anything but them winning by a significant margin. Hence, the Netherlands -2,5 goals at 1.97 is an excellent betting option.

Curaçao - Ivory Coast: What to look for?

Curaçao head into the final matchday still dreaming of a historic Round of 32 berth after earning their first-ever World Cup point in the goalless draw with Ecuador. The Caribbean side is on one point and likely needs a win, plus help elsewhere, to have any realistic chance of advancing. Ivory Coast have three points after beating Ecuador and narrowly losing to Germany, meaning qualification is within touching distance. Team news is relatively positive, although defender Wilfried Singo is a doubt with a hamstring issue, while Evan Ndicka has returned to training. Expect the Ivory Coast to attack from the start against a Curaçao side with nothing to lose.

Ecuador - Germany: What to look for?

Germany have already secured the top spot after wins over Curaçao and Ivory Coast, and reports suggest Julian Nagelsmann could rotate heavily ahead of the Round of 32. Ecuador, meanwhile, are still searching for their first goal of the tournament after losing to the Ivory Coast and drawing with Curaçao. The South Americans remain alive but need a victory to significantly boost their qualification hopes. Ecuador's key players, including Moisés Caicedo and veteran striker Enner Valencia, must finally deliver in the final third. If Germany field a changed lineup, Ecuador may view this as their best chance to stay alive.

Japan - Sweden: What to look for?

This is arguably the most competitive game of the round. Japan bounced back from a draw with the Netherlands by crushing Tunisia 4-0 and enter the final round with four points. Sweden also have four points after beating Tunisia before suffering a heavy defeat to the Dutch. Both nations remain firmly in the race for automatic qualification and even first place, depending on the result of the Netherlands vs Tunisia. Japan's attack looked outstanding last time out, but Sweden will be a different challenge. There are no major new injury concerns reported, making motivation the biggest factor here. Expect an intense, high-tempo encounter with qualification implications throughout the 90 minutes.

Tunisia - Netherlands: What to look for?

Tunisia have already been eliminated after consecutive heavy defeats to Sweden and Japan, conceding nine goals and scoring only once. That makes them one of the few teams playing purely for pride. The Netherlands, on the other hand, are in an excellent position after collecting four points against Japan and Sweden. A victory would almost certainly secure first place in Group F, while even a draw could be enough depending on the other result. With Tunisia carrying no qualification hopes, the main question is whether they can produce a spirited response and spoil the Dutch party. The Oranje should dominate possession, but motivation levels could differ dramatically between the two sides.

Paraguay - Australia: What to look for?

Effectively a knockout match, where a draw would likely help both teams to progress. The United States have already locked up the top spot in Group D, leaving Paraguay and Australia battling for second place. Paraguay recovered from their opening defeat to the Americans by beating Turkey and now control their own destiny. Australia stunned Turkey but were comfortably beaten by the USA, leaving the Socceroos needing a positive result here. Paraguay's attack is built around Julio Enciso and Antonio Sanabria, while Australia will again rely on their physicality and work rate.

Turkey - USA: What to look for?

Normally, this would be one of the marquee fixtures of the round, but the stakes are surprisingly low. The United States have already secured first place after victories over Paraguay and Australia, while Turkey will finish fourth no matter what. As a result, both coaches may be tempted to rotate. The biggest squad story concerns Christian Pulisic, who has resumed training and hopes to return after missing the Australia match with a calf injury. Mauricio Pochettino must decide whether to give his star player minutes or preserve him for the knockout rounds. Turkey still possess exciting talents such as Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız, so pride and momentum remain important despite the lack of qualification pressure.

Few Germany internationals have taken a more unconventional route to the top than Deniz Undav. Released by several academies as a youngster, Undav spent years in Germany’s lower divisions while juggling football with part-time jobs, including work in a warehouse. His breakthrough came in Belgium with Union Saint-Gilloise, where his goals earned a move to Brighton before a prolific loan spell at Stuttgart propelled him into the national-team picture. Undav made his Germany debut in 2023 and quickly became one of Julian Nagelsmann’s trusted attacking options. At the 2026 World Cup, he has already scored twice, helping Germany secure qualification for the Round of 32 and strengthening his remarkable underdog story.

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On June 25, 1994, Argentina defeated Nigeria 2-1 in one of the tournament's most memorable group-stage matches. The game is remembered as the last World Cup appearance of Diego Maradona before his expulsion from the tournament following a failed drug test.