Germany and the Netherlands were both unexpectedly knocked out of the World Cup, with Germany losing to Paraguay in a penalty shootout and the Netherlands falling to Morocco. This marked another early exit for Germany, leading to widespread disappointment and analysis of their performance.

The World Cup saw a range of events, including Canada's first-ever knockout stage victory and the resignation of the Saudi federation president. Off the field, police busted betting call centers in Penang, and Cape Verde's captain faced a police investigation.