Argentina vs Cape Verde: Kick-off, TV, Live Stream, Referee & Predicted Line-ups for 2026 World Cup Round of 32
Argentina aims to continue their title defense when they meet Cape Verde at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Friday. After comfortably defeating Jordan to top Group J, Argentina looks set to advance deep into the tournament.
Cape Verde, making their World Cup debut, stunned many by remaining undefeated in Group H and finishing second behind Spain to reach the knockout phase. They hold no illusions about winning the trophy but have already made history.
Broadcast Info and Kick-Off Time
- Date & Time: Friday, July 3, 6 p.m. ET (USA), 11 p.m. BST (UK), Saturday, July 4, 3:30 a.m. IST (India), 8 a.m. AEST (Australia)
- Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Florida, USA
- Referee: Drew Fischer (Canada)
- TV Channels: ITV1 (UK), Fox Sports (US), Zee5 (India), SBS (Australia)
- Live updates available on ESPN
Predicted Starting Line-ups
Argentina must avoid underestimating their opponent. The team could rotate players since their path seems favorable until the quarterfinals. Lionel Scaloni might rest Messi initially, as seen when the star came off the bench to score a free-kick goal in their last match. But with Cape Verde's unexpected resilience, Scaloni may choose to field his strongest eleven from the start.
Cape Verde showed versatility, defending tightly against Spain yet attacking actively versus Uruguay. Their goalkeeper, Vozinha, has been outstanding, especially in the win over Spain. If Cape Verde takes a defensive stance again, Vozinha’s performance will be crucial to keep Argentina at bay.
The nation’s president expressed belief that Cape Verde could win 1-0. With two clean sheets so far, the team might surprise if they choose to play with freedom instead of sitting back. Argentina might face an unexpected challenge if Cape Verde presses forward early rather than purely defending.
