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 cities.
Swept 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.
El Tri are confident of eliminating England in what could be a World Cup classic on Sunday.
Javier Aguirre’s side made the most of a kind group-stage draw to ease past South Africa, South Korea and the Czech Republic.
But 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.
Winger Julian Quinones has been Mexico’s 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.
Now 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.
“I can tell you that this team deserves what is happening,” he said after a reported one million people took to the streets of Mexico City to celebrate the win over Ecuador.
“This big connection with the fans and playing the World Cup.”
The 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.
A second-place finish in Group B, behind Switzerland, meant Canada were forced onto American soil for the remainder of the tournament.
A first-ever knockout victory followed against South Africa, thanks to Stephen Eustaquio’s late strike in Los Angeles.
A much tougher task awaits in Houston on Saturday when highly-fancied Morocco face Jesse Marsch’s men.
Outspoken American Marsch has branded his team “Canadian heroes” just for making it this far and said taking on the 2022 semi-finalists was a “free hit” at more glory.
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