California
\nCanada have already made World Cup history, while Mexico and the USA are also on course to beat their best-ever runs in the tournament as home advantage has paid dividends.
\nAFP Sports looks at how all three co-hosts have thrived while others have struggled with the sprawling tournament spread over three countries and 17 cities.<\/p>\n
Mexico
\nSwept along by fanatical support in the stadiums and the streets, Mexico have already ended a 40-year wait to win a knockout game by beating Ecuador to make the last 16.
\nEl Tri are confident of eliminating England in what could be a World Cup classic on Sunday.
\nJavier Aguirre\u2019s side made the most of a kind group-stage draw to ease past South Africa, South Korea and the Czech Republic.
\nBut the first-half destruction of Ecuador, who beat Germany in the group stages and finished second to Argentina in South American qualifying, served as a warning to England.
\nWinger Julian Quinones has been Mexico\u2019s breakout star with three goals in four games, while veteran striker Raul Jimenez broke down in tears after ending his long wait for a World Cup goal in the opening game of the tournament.
\nNow in his third spell in charge, Aguirre is aiming to achieve what he failed to do in 2002 and 2010 by taking Mexico to the quarter-finals, matching their best ever World Cup performance on home soil in 1970 and 1986.
\n\u201cI can tell you that this team deserves what is happening,\u201d he said after a reported one million people took to the streets of Mexico City to celebrate the win over Ecuador.
\n\u201cThis big connection with the fans and playing the World Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n
USA
\nAny fears that the Americans would fail to show up to their own party have been emphatically swept away as Mauricio Pochettino\u2019s men have energised a nation where football has to fight for its place in the spotlight.
\nA 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32 was the most-watched football match in US television history, averaging 33.5 million viewers across all networks.
\nThe brand of high-energy, attacking football that made Pochettino one of the most sought-after coaches in European football has been successfully implemented at international level.
\nParaguay, who went on to eliminate Germany to reach the last 16, were blown away in a 4-1 victory that got the US off to a flying start.
\nEven the sending off of Folarin Balogun, who has been one of their stars of the tournament with three goals, against Bosnia could not derail the USA as the 10 men saw the game out with ease.
\nEven without the suspended Balogun, a last 16 clash with Belgium should hold no fear for Pochettino\u2019s men as they eye the quarter-finals for just the second time.<\/p>\n
Canada
\nThe glass ceiling for Canada at a World Cup was shattered when they made the knockout stages, and in some style, as they thrashed Qatar 6-0.
\nA second-place finish in Group B, behind Switzerland, meant Canada were forced onto American soil for the remainder of the tournament.
\nA first-ever knockout victory followed against South Africa, thanks to Stephen Eustaquio\u2019s late strike in Los Angeles.
\nA much tougher task awaits in Houston on Saturday when highly-fancied Morocco face Jesse Marsch\u2019s men.
\nOutspoken American Marsch has branded his team \u201cCanadian heroes\u201d just for making it this far and said taking on the 2022 semi-finalists was a \u201cfree hit\u201d at more glory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
California Canada have already made World Cup history, while Mexico and the USA are also on course to beat their best-ever runs in the tournament as home advantage has paid dividends. AFP Sports looks at how all three co-hosts have thrived while others have struggled with the sprawling tournament spread over three countries and 17 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":554620,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-554600","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n