World Cup of Wines: Your wine pairings for England, Argentina, France and the rest in the first of the knockout games

With the group stages finished we’re into the real hurly-burly of the World Cup and its knockout stages.

Unlike a few occasions in this much larger competition, from now on every goal, every game – and every wine recommendation – carries the sweet tang of jeopardy.

We’ve already said goodbye to a few of our ‘wine teams’, notably:

Uruguay: A rather flat-footed finish for the Uruguayans who exit in round one despite Ines’ excellent wine proposals.

Turkey: Izzy tried her best but it was a frustrating experience for the Turks who only won when they were already eliminated.

New Zealand: Great wine country as Natalie endeavoured to show, but a little lacking in the football department. Early doors for the All Whites who’ll have to drown their sorrows with Sauvignon Blanc back home.

South Africa: James’ fine South African recommendations undoubtedly lifted Bafana Bafana into the knockouts but – without a wine pairing due to the scheduling – they fell at the first hurdle against Tina’s wine team, Canada.

However, although we are down a few teams, all of our participants are still in the game with at least one wine team still active and in with a chance.

An uptick in the footballing stakes means a corresponding uptick in skilful wine pairing and selections as well.

In this round of 32 there’s everything from Argentine Semillon to a high-class Douro Valley red, and a sweet Swiss wine, we pair earthy Burgundian Pinot Noir with meatballs, and go back to classic German precision and a slightly more unusual Australian red…

And if you feel the need for some… actual football analysis during this World Cup, do check in on our friends and colleagues over at FourFourTwo for all their updates and coverage.

Ines: Spain

Spain (vs Austria): Right, there’s no more room for hesitations and mistakes.

Spain meets Austria at the gates of the knock-out stage – after a narrow win against Uruguay – without the shimmering assurance with which it glowed when it arrived at its base camp in Chattanooga, Tennessee in early June.

If La Roja wants to get back on the likely-champion track it needs to step up the game and not underestimate its opponents.

People once underestimated Austrian wines and look at them now, with pride of place on the world’s coolest wine bars and lists. There’s a lesson there for Spanish footballers.

But Spain also knows a thing or two about overlooked, hidden gems and unexpected excellence.

The Spanish team will be fine if they perform as well as Stratum Wines’ El Cerrico, a truly superb white from a region (Jumilla) underestimated by most and unknown by many.

A take of the unassuming Airén that is confident, characterful and technically exact – just what a champion needs to be.

Julie: Argentina & Australia

Argentina (vs Cape Verde): Plucky underdogs Cape Verde have been one of this World Cup’s great stories but their run must surely end against a very strong Argentine side.

Having jogged through the group stages, Messi & co will no doubt stay clinical and efficient in muggy Miami.

Matching the complexity of the brilliant striker’s footwork and staying cool in the process, tuck into one of Argentina’s most underrated assets – its white wines.

The El Enemigo Semillon from the province of Mendoza is ‘another little gem in the Tesco range’, available for under £20 and shows all the same complexity, richness and capacity to age as Lionel himself.

Australia (vs Egypt): The Socceroos’ faintly scattergun performance in the group stages was enough to see them through and now they get to meet Egypt, the group-stage foe of their fellow Antipodeans the Kiwis.

The Pharaohs saw off New Zealand 3-1 in Group G, can Australia provide more of a contest? It’s going to take pace, power, a bit of grit, and maybe something just a little bit unexpected.

Why not, therefore, a bottle of incredibly moreish Australian Montepulciano?

That’s right, not a Shiraz or a Cab or a Grenache but this Italian variety, its fresh fruit ‘tinged with dried rose petal and savoury herbs’ and just ‘a hint of liquorice spice’.

James: Portugal

Portugal (vs Croatia): Portugal and Croatia clash at Toronto Stadium in what will potentially be the most emotionally charged fixture in the first knockout round.

Portugal missed out on the top spot in Group K after only managing a draw against Colombia. Meanwhile, Group L runners up Croatia rallied to defeat Ghana 2-1, dragging themselves up from what was looking like a third-place finish in England’s group.

Facing off against each other in this match are superstars Cristiano Ronaldo (41) and Luka Modrić (40), former Real Madrid teammates who will each stop at nothing to see their respective teams make it through to the next round of the World Cup, where they will face either Spain or Austria.

Prats & Symington’s ‘Chryseia’ from Portugal’s Douro Valley is a layered and complex wine that mirrors the finessed football you’re bound to see on your screens during this fixture.

Deep and gently smoky, it’s a perfect match for all sorts of grilled meats and root vegetables.

Natalie: Germany

Germany (vs Paraguay): With their knockout berth already guaranteed, Germany looked a little sleepy and lacklustre in a surprise loss to Ecuador in their last group game.

Time to sharpen up now against another South American opponent, and with a potential clash against France on the cards next, die Mannschaft need to get their heads back in the game.

And what better way than going back to a tried and tested classic? This Mosel Riesling from Fritz Haag delivers timeless German precision, delicately balancing a natural sweetness and rich, tropical fruit flavours with a refreshing acidity.

Deft, assured and impressive, so wie der wein, so wie der fußball.

Tina: Croatia & Canada

Croatia (vs Portugal): Croatia haven’t made it easy for themselves so far, with an opening loss to England and then a lacklustre win against Panama.

But they showed some tenacity and flair in their final game against Ghana, thanks to Man of the Match Petar Sucic and a last-gasp winner from Nikola Vlasic to take them to second in Group L.

This wine nation head-to-head against Portugal requires all that persistence and finesse, and then some.

So for that, let’s go for a Malvazija from Istria. Or how about a Platinum-winning brace from this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards, if you think that’s what the winning margin might be?

Bastiàn’s 2023 Marchiori is described as ‘thrilling’ and ‘elegant’, but I’m leaning towards Bruno Ferenac’s 2024, which has ‘striking’ acidity and ‘great ageing potential displayed’.

That’s Luka Modrić right there!

Rupert: France & Austria

France (vs Sweden): France cruised past Norway in their final group game, with the Norwegian manager choosing not to put up much of a fight and benching most of his top players.

France get another crack at a Scandinavian opponent in the knockout round though, against Group F’s third-place finisher Sweden. And playing Sweden in New York means only one thing – meatballs (with a chance of football)!

Now, like many wine pairings, it’s the sauce that we’re really trying to match. Italian-style meatballs with their rich tomato sauce require a red wine with matching acidity – a Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley would be a solid choice.

However, Swedish meatballs have a cream sauce which really calls for a Pinot Noir.

It’s still a little early to be really pushing the boat out on Burgundy but Denis Carré’s La Perrière from the Hautes Côtes with its ‘hints of earth, spice, and smoke’, and a silky but solid structure sounds like a very good match-up.

Austria (vs Spain): Austria showed they were capable of dishing out goals in the group matches but they struggled against top-class competitors Argentina.

Now they’re up against Spain, who didn’t seem quite as on-pace as many expected pre-tournament.

If Austria can unfurl its goal-scoring potential maybe a shock upset could be on the cards…

And nothing in Austrian wine is more unfurled than the splendidly baroque labels of Emmerich Knoll.

Maybe it’s a little too soon to be cracking into a magnificent Smaragd Riesling but this is definitely a winner takes all game from Austria’s point of view so it’s fitting to go all in on a wine with the requisite ‘spice and flair’ for the occasion.

Mark: USA & Switzerland

USA (vs Bosnia & Herzegovina): The San Francisco Bay Area Stadium boasts a capacity of 68,500, a suitably impressive arena for a raucous atmosphere and a USA team that seems to have discovered a higher gear.

Bosnia-Herzegovina have already gone further than in their previous and only World Cup appearance in making it out of the groups, but they will be up against it.

Bosnia-Herzegovina’s cuisine is a glorious mish-mash, although stews feature heavily, so it shouldn’t be too challenging rustling one up in their team’s honour and enjoying the result (Team USA!) with a glass or two of the 2023 Clos du Val Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, full of ‘dark purple fruit and black cherries, seasoned by vanilla and coffee’, and a 90-pointer at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards.

Switzerland (vs Iran): The Swiss keep on truckin’, this time laying their hat at BC Place Vancouver in Canada. Here they face Algeria, the two-time African champions making their fifth World Cup appearance and whose manager, Vladimir Petković, previously coached the Swiss – a delicious twist.

Couscous-accompanied stews run through Algerian cuisine, but the country is also renowned for its honey-soaked pastries.

If you’re angling towards the latter, therefore, consider tapping into Switzerland’s wonderful reputation for sweet wines, such as the Jean-René Germanier, Mitis Réserve De Vétroz Amigne, Balavaud 2022 from the Valais.

Recently awarded 95 points at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, and praised for ‘amassing pineapple, mango, passionfruit and papaya on the nose, and binding creamy cardamom and pastry around the delectable palate’.

Izzy: England

England (vs DR Congo): And to the knockouts! England’s first match in this next stage of the competition will be against DR Congo, who have so far put in an impressive performance in their first entry to the World Cup in 52 years, particularly in a 1-1 draw against Portugal.

For a wine to pair with DR Congo’s national dish, hearty tomato stew Moambe chicken, try Mark’s and Spencer’s English Orange wine, a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Ortega.

Fermented on skins in a mixture of stainless steel, oak and amphora, this wine has the acidity to cut through the richness of the stew, but with Vermouth-like notes to complement its peanut butter and spicy flavours.