All 2026 World Cup co-hosts out as USA, Mexico, Canada fall in knockout stage

All three 2026 World Cup co-hosts - USA, Mexico and Canada - have been eliminated before the quarterfinals. Canada fell first, losing 3-0 to Morocco on July 4 thanks to Azzedine Ounahi's brace and Soufiane Rahimi's late goal. Mexico followed, losing 3-2 to 10-man England with Jude Bellingham scoring twice. Finally, USA suffered a 4-1 humbling by Belgium on July 6 morning.

This matters deeply to Nigerian football fans as it reshapes the tournament landscape in the inaugural 48-team, three-host-nation format. Morocco's victory over Canada keeps African representation alive in the knockout stage, while Belgium and England's advances reinforce their title contender status. Crucially, it dismantles the notion of automatic host nation advantage - a key pre-tournament talking point.

For Nigerian supporters following the World Cup, this means recalculating expectations: Morocco's path now avoids potential South American giants in early knockouts, while Belgium's route looks clearer after disposing of the USA. The early exits also spotlight whether traditional powerhouses or emerging African nations will capitalize on the opened pathways. With host nations gone, does this increase chances for an African semifinal appearance, or confirm European dominance in the new format?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/07/07/2026-world-cup-all-three-co-hosts-eliminated-from-tournament/