The group stage of the under-20 World Cup has concluded, leaving 16 teams vying for the title in a knockout run of excitement and drama.
Hosted in Argentina, the FIFA World Cup for players under twenty has moved past the initial phase. Of the 24 nations that kicked off the tournament, the field now narrows to 16, with several established powers advancing and a notable upset reshaping expectations. France stands out as a surprising casualty among the eight teams that made it through the round.
Knockout rounds begin on Tuesday, May 30, and continue through Thursday, June 1, across four venues that will be pivotal stages for the title chase. Wednesday, May 31, is expected to be the busiest day, featuring two matches in each time slot and crowd energy at its peak.
In the opening phase, six groups were contested. The format advanced the top two teams from every group and, in addition, the four best third-placed teams. The ranking of those third-placed teams depended on their group zone. In this edition, the teams from zones A, B, D and E earned continuation to the knockout rounds.
CLASSIFIED TEAMS
GROUP A: Argentina, New Zealand and Uzbekistan.
GROUP B: United States, Ecuador and Slovakia
GROUP C: Colombia and Israel.
GROUP D: Brazil, Italy and Nigeria
GROUP E: England, Uruguay and Tunisia
GROUP F: The Gambia and South Korea.
HEADQUARTERS
Two matches will be held at each venue: Malvinas Argentinas Stadium in Mendoza, Bicentenario Stadium in San Juan, Estadio Único Diego Maradona in La Plata, and Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero.
DAYS AND TIMES
Tuesday May 30
United States 4-0 New Zealand | Malvinas Argentinas Stadium, Mendoza
6pm | Uzbekistan 0-1 Israel | Malvinas Argentinas Stadium, Mendoza
Wednesday, May 31
2:30 pm | Colombia vs. Slovakia | Bicentennial Stadium, San Juan
2:30 pm | Brazil vs. Tunisia | Estadio Diego Armando Maradona, La Plata
6pm | Argentina vs. Nigeria | Bicentennial Stadium, San Juan
6pm | England vs. Italy | Estadio Diego Armando Maradona, La Plata
Thursday June 1
2:30 pm | Gambia v Uruguay | Estadio Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero
6pm | Ecuador v South Korea | Estadio Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero