France the team to beat? Chris Sutton predicts World Cup's last-32 matches

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: France the team to beat? Chris Sutton predicts World Cup's last-32 matchesByChris BevanBBC Sport journalistPublished8 hours agoSixteen of the 48 teams are heading home, but which of the sides left standing will survive all the way to the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium near New York City on 19 July? The hopes of another 16 nations will bite the dust after the first knockout round, which includes England against DR Congo and holders Argentina against surprise package Cape Verde.

It was a different team who caused the biggest shock in the final set of group games, however. While Sport's football expert Chris Sutton and AI still went for Cape Verde to lose against Saudi Arabia - from more than 50,000 users playing the 's new predictor game - 39% of you correctly went for a draw and 43% even backed the African side to win. Instead, it was Ecuador who caught almost everyone out this time.

The Details

From more than 56,000 users predictions for that game, only 597 of you correctly backed them to beat Germany. Chris and AI were also wrong about that one but, overall, they both got 15/24 predictions right from that set of matches. Again, the users did better, with 17/24, and they still lead the way with 72 of this World Cup's 104 matches now completed.

Chris has been right 41 times (57%), AI has a score of 43 (60%), but you lot are doing even better with 48 (67%). Before the tournament, Chris also picked the order he thought each of the 12 groups would finish in. He was right about seven of the winners, but only got all four teams in the correct order in three of the groups.

AI's predictions have been generated using Microsoft Copilot Chat. We simply asked the tool to 'predict the results of the World Cup last-32 ties'. The new predictor game allows readers to pick a winner from each knockout tie.

What Experts Say

PLAY WORLD CUP PREDICTOR HERELAST-32 TIESSunday, 28 JuneImage source, SportSouth Africa v CanadaLos Angeles / 20:00 BSTAfter watching South Africa at Estadio Azteca in the opening game of this tournament, I was absolutely shocked to see them finish second in Group A and make the last 32. I feel like they are here because South Korea took them too lightly in their final group game, which I understand in some respects, but I don't see Canada doing the same. Canada boss Jesse Marsch gets a bit of stick for some of his behaviour but his team have got something about them and I like the way they play.

It is going to be hard for South Africa to deal with their intensity. Neither country had ever reached the knockout stage of a World Cup before, and this is a great opportunity for the co-hosts to go even further - I'll be shocked again if they don't. Sutton's prediction: 0-3AI's prediction: 1-2Monday, 29 JuneImage source, SportBrazil v JapanHouston / 18:00 BSTI am covering this game for Radio 5 Live and I have a feeling there is going to be an upset here - although it would not count as an upset for me or my commentating colleague Ali Bruce-Ball.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.