Twenty-four hours after Mexico and Canada wrapped up Groups A and B, Brazil and the USA do the same to Groups C and D — at least at the top. Below the headline, both groups have a straight do-or-go-home tie and a third-place equation that should keep the calculators warm well after the final whistle. Here is how Thursday June 25 lines up.
The day's fixtures
- Brazil v Scotland · Group C · 12:00 ET · MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
- Morocco v Haiti · Group C · 12:00 ET · Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- USA v Türkiye · Group D · 18:00 ET · Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara
- Australia v Paraguay · Group D · 18:00 ET · Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
FIFA's matchday-three rule holds: the two games inside each group kick off at the same time. Brazil and Morocco are both through. The USA and Paraguay are both through. The simultaneous kickoff is for the runners-up and best-third equations, and those are very much live.
Brazil v Scotland: Dorival picks his bracket
Brazil have nothing to lose and a top seed to confirm. Top of Group C means a Round of 32 game against a runner-up; finishing second means a top-seed draw out of a much harder bracket. Dorival Júnior has already said he will rest at least three starters, with Bruno Guimarães and Marquinhos almost certain to sit. Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo are likely to start because rhythm matters, and the Seleção do not have a fully resolved centre-forward question yet.
Scotland arrive on three points and a fairy-tale shot. A draw here combined with a Morocco win likely sends them home; a win against a rotated Brazil and they leapfrog Morocco for second. Steve Clarke will pack the midfield, ask John McGinn to break the lines, and pray Lyndon Dykes gets one big chance. Tartan Army travelling support is into five figures in New Jersey regardless. The bookmaker's line says Brazil. The matchday-three history book says do not be surprised by a Scotland goal.
Morocco v Haiti: a knockout dressed as a group game
The most overlooked fixture of the day is actually a true knockout. Morocco sit on four points after the dramatic win over Scotland and the draw with Brazil; Haiti are on a point and need a win, a Brazil win, and a goal-difference miracle. Realistically, this is Morocco's group to keep second place in. A draw is not enough — a Scotland win against a rotated Brazil would tie Morocco on points and tip the head-to-head against them.
Walid Regragui has spent the group consolidating around a midfield three of Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Ounahi and Bilal El Khannouss, with Hakim Ziyech freed in the half-spaces. Haiti's defensive structure is the kind of organised low block that has frustrated bigger names this group stage, but the pace of Carl Lamothe in transition is the dangerous thing. Morocco probably win this. They almost have to.
USA v Türkiye: home crowd, lineup questions
The USA already clinched the group on Matchday 2 and Mauricio Pochettino now has the decision every World Cup coach with a settled side faces — rest, rotate, or run it back. Christian Pulisic is in form and may want the minutes; Antonee Robinson is on a yellow and would normally come out. The question of who starts behind Folarin Balogun is the one to watch. Brenden Aaronson is the obvious choice for sharpness; Gio Reyna for a long-term tournament case.
Türkiye sit on a point after losing to the USA and drawing Paraguay. Vincenzo Montella has been trying to find the right shape around Arda Güler and Hakan Çalhanoğlu and the group stage has not given him a clean look. They need a win to have a third-place shot — and crucially Australia's outcome in Kansas City decides whether even that is enough.
Australia v Paraguay: third-place mathematics
Australia and Paraguay are level on four points after the opening rounds. A draw probably sends Paraguay through to the Round of 32 as group runner-up — they own the head-to-head edge on goal difference — and Australia into a third-place tie-breaker fight with the Türkiye result hanging over it. A win for the Socceroos and they leap Paraguay; a Paraguay win and Australia are out, no third-place safety net.
Tony Popovic's side have been more functional than flashy. Mathew Leckie and Riley McGree are the two who give the Socceroos verticality, and Aiden O'Neill has been the find of the camp in midfield. Paraguay's Diego Gómez has been one of the underrated stories of Group D and Antonio Sanabria up top is the kind of striker who scores a goal his team did not deserve.
Standings entering Day 15
Group C (two games each):
- Brazil 7 pts (through)
- Morocco 4 pts
- Scotland 3 pts
- Haiti 1 pt
Group D (two games each):
- USA 6 pts (through)
- Paraguay 4 pts
- Australia 4 pts
- Türkiye 1 pt
Three things to watch
- Whether Dorival actually rests stars. Brazil top spot is gettable with a draw against Scotland. The team-sheet at MetLife will tell you whether the Seleção want it or whether they want to pick their Round-of-32 spot.
- Morocco's penalty discipline. Hakimi and Saïss are each one yellow away from a suspension. A booking now costs them a knockout starter. Watch for cynical fouls — and the absence of them.
- The Australia–Türkiye third-place fight. Whichever Group D loser finishes on the most points is in the best-thirds conversation. Bosnia already grabbed one spot. The window is closing.
FAQ
Are Brazil and the USA definitely through? Yes. Both clinched on Matchday 2.
What does Morocco need to advance? A win over Haiti, full stop, locks second in Group C. A draw is risky — it leaves them open to a Scotland win over a rotated Brazil.
How does the best-thirds race look after yesterday? Bosnia took one of the eight slots with their rout of Qatar. Seven are still up for grabs — and the Group C and D losers tonight enter that pool.
Where can I follow live scores? All four games are tracked on the Scorelisto soccer scores page, and every World Cup preview and recap is on the Scorelisto blog.