When planning each World Cup trip, I usually predict who will finish first and second in each group to map out the knockout brackets. This year, I ran an AI Match Predictor ten times and made a few personal tweaks. The Mexico City match was an easy pick since it was the final Group Stage fixture, so the matchup was set well in advance.
Based on the original bracket, I expected Match 80 to be England vs. Norway. However, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) squeezed through as a third-place finisher to set up a clash with England—a byproduct of the new tournament format that advances the top eight third-place teams, which still takes some getting used to.
Check out the Full Match Report if you want to avoid spoilers.
We flew into Atlanta from DFW on Monday, June 29. We spent our first night with my brother and his family before the rest of our crew arrived on June 30. My brother generously hosted all of us: our close friends from Sydney, along with my friend’s wife’s two sisters and their partners. It was a full house, but we had a fantastic time watching matches, catching up, and playing card and board games.
The main event, of course, was the England v DRC match, which kicked off at 11 AM on July 1.
On Approach to the Match | Sony RX100 VI | 24-200mm F2.8 | 21 mm | f/11 | 1/60th | ISO125
The Line-Ups | Sony RX100 VI | 24-200mm F2.8 | 16.5 mm | f/4 | 1/400th | ISO1000
Time to kick-it off | Sony RX100 VI | 24-200mm F2.8 | 21.1 mm | f/4 | 1/400th | ISO4000
While our seats weren’t quite as close as the ones at Azteca Stadium, Row 22 still offered a great view, situated nicely between the midfield line and the 18-yard box.
The DRC caught everyone off guard by scoring in the 7th minute to take an early lead—a well-taken chance aimed right at the near post.
England Regrouping | Sony RX100 VI | 24-200mm F2.8 | 26.9 mm | f/4 | 1/400th | ISO1250
Unexpected Score 20 minutes In | Sony RX100 VI | 24-200mm F2.8 | 26.9 mm | f/4 | 1/400th | ISO1250
England and the come-back | Sony RX100 VI | 24-200mm F2.8 | 20.79 mm | f/4 | 1/400th | ISO640
Near the Final Whistle | iPhone 16 Pro | 2.7 mm Back Camera | f/1.9 | 1/60th | ISO80
Celebrating after the win!! | iPhone 16 Pro | 2.7 mm Back Camera | f/1.9 | 1/60th | ISO200
After England mounted their comeback victory, we walked over to a nearby hotel bar for a few post-match drinks. We caught most of the Belgium v Senegal match before heading back to the house to unwind.
Thanks Atlanta!! | Sony RX100 VI | 24-200mm F2.8 | 9.0 mm | f/4.5 | 1/200th | ISO125
Paul Rin Travel Photojournalism 