MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — When Argentina and Cape Verde kick off at Miami Stadium today – Friday, July 3 – the match will carry two very different kinds of weight.
This World Cup match will broadcast live on FOX at 6 p.m. Eastern (3 p.m. Pacific) with a Spanish version on Telemundo. Fans who have parted ways with their local cable provider can catch this soccer match by utilizing streaming alternatives like FuboTV ($20 off first month) and DIRECTV ($35 off first month), which both offer a free trial.
You can watch this World Cup match on Sling TV with Sling Select for $19.99 per month. FOX on Sling is available in select markets.
This game will also stream in Spanish live on Peacock, which is available for $10.99 per month.
For Argentina, the match is the next expected step in a championship defense. For Cape Verde, it is the most extraordinary moment in the football history of a nation of just over 500,000 people.
The reigning world champions and the tournament’s most unlikely breakthrough story collide in the Round of 32 — and the contrast could not be more compelling.
A look at Argentina
Argentina enters the knockout rounds as one of the tournament’s most dominant forces, finishing atop Group J with a 3-0 record.
Lionel Messi remains the engine of the side and is the tournament’s top scorer with six goals. Against Jordan, with Argentina’s advancement already secured, coach Lionel Scaloni rotated heavily, but Messi still came off the bench to score from a free kick, becoming the first player in men’s World Cup history to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches, a streak that stretches back to the 2022 World Cup knockout rounds.
Beyond Messi, the squad is deep with quality. Players such as Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez anchor a well-rounded side that conceded just one goal in three group matches.
Watch Argentina vs. Cape Verde World Cup knockout game for free on DIRECTV
A look at Cape Verde
Cape Verde, by contrast, is a first-time World Cup participant who did not win a single group-stage match — yet here it is. Finishing second in Group H behind Spain, the island nation drew all three of its matches, including a 0-0 result against Spain that announced its arrival on the world stage.
Star forward Ryan Mendes leads the attack, while goalkeeper Vozinha has been the standout performer during their group-stage run and was retained by coach Bubista even during squad rotation.
Watch Argentina vs. Cape Verde World Cup knockout game for free on FuboTV
How healthy is Argentina?
The most significant injury concern heading into this match sits on Argentina’s side. Center-back Cristian Romero was forced off with a knee problem during the win over Austria and did not feature in the Jordan match, despite having stepped up his recovery with on-field work beforehand.
Unless Argentina provides a clearer update before kick-off, Romero should be treated as a serious selection doubt rather than a confirmed starter. Should he be unavailable, Nicolás Otamendi is the expected partner alongside Lisandro Martínez — a pairing with ample experience, though Romero’s aggression and defensive recovery are considered particularly important against transition attacks, which is precisely how Cape Verde prefers to threaten opponents.
Right-back Nahuel Molina is also a notable concern after sustaining a muscle injury late in the club season, though his status has not been updated since the group stage.
Scaloni is unlikely to take unnecessary risks in a match Argentina are heavily favored to control, with a potential Round of 16 meeting against Australia or Egypt on the horizon. Julián Álvarez, Leandro Paredes, and Nico Paz all featured in the rotated Jordan lineup and provided Scaloni with depth as the knockout stage begins.
How healthy is Cape Verde?
For Cape Verde, there are no newly confirmed injury absences heading into this match. The concern for Bubista’s side is less about any single missing player and more about the physical toll of three matches built around heavy defensive concentration.
Cape Verde did play their final group match against Saudi Arabia one day before Argentina faced Jordan, giving them a slight recovery advantage — though Argentina’s heavy rotation offsets much of that edge. Neither side carries a confirmed suspension into the match, as single yellow cards from the group stage are wiped before the knockout phase under 2026 tournament rules.
Who is announcing Argentina vs. Cape Verde?
The announcers for this Round of 32 game on FOX between Argentina and Cape Verge are John Strong as the play-by-play announcer, Stu Holden as the color analyst, Natalie Gedra as the sideline reporter, and Mark Clattenburg as the rules analyst.
What are the latest odds for Argentina vs. Cape Verde?
Note: These odds are as of Thursday afternoon.
Moneyline (90 minutes): Argentina (-650), Cape Verde (+1900), Draw (+700)
Odds courtesy of DraftKings
Here’s more information on how to watch the Argentina vs. Cape Verde FIFA World Cup match on TV and streaming services:
What: Argentina vs. Cape Verde FIFA World Cup round of 32 match
When: Friday, July 3, 2026
Time: 6 p.m. Eastern
Where: Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, FL
Channels: FOX and Telemundo
Best streaming options: FuboTV (free trial and $20 off first month), DIRECTV (free trial and $35 off first month), Sling TV and Peacock
Information from the AP was included in this report and AI might have been used to assist with this story.
