2026 FIFA World Cup Roundup, Round of 32
The round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has concluded, featuring exciting games, impressive individual displays, and surprising outcomes. Below is a recap of the groups.
South Africa 0-1 Canada
A stoppage-time goal by Stephen Eustáquio propelled co-hosts Canada into the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Africa. That moment of brilliance made all the difference, as Canada held on in the final moments to secure an intriguing Round of 16 match against Morocco.
Brazil 2-1 Japan
Brazil scored a last-minute goal to secure a 2-1 win against Japan, who ultimately tired out at Houston Stadium during their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match. Brazil will go on to play Norway in the next round.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay (Paraguay win 4-3 on penalties)
Paraguay secured only their second-ever victory in a FIFA World Cup knockout match by eliminating Germany on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Boston. Paraguay will now face France, while Germany is left to reflect on what might have been following another disappointing exit from the tournament.
Netherlands 1-1 Morocco (Morocco win 3-2 on penalties)
Morocco advanced to the Round of 16 in the FIFA World Cup by winning 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands at Estadio Monterrey. This outcome ended the Netherlands’ recent 11-game unbeaten streak in competitive matches, while Morocco will extend their participation in the World Cup knockout stages for at least one more game, marking their third time reaching this phase.
Ivory Coast 1-2 Norway
Norway secured a 2-1 victory against Ivory Coast, achieving their first-ever win in a FIFA World Cup knockout match after three attempts. The African team had some opportunities in their debut beyond the group stage, but a late goal from Erling Braut Haaland prevented them from extending their strong recent form (6 wins, 1 draw) into the later stages of the tournament. Norway will now get ready to face a very different challenge against Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil team.
France 3-0 Sweden
France’s all-time top scorer Kylian Mbappé once again made the decisive impact, scoring twice to lead Les Bleus to a comfortable 3-0 win against Sweden in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 at MetLife Stadium. This victory puts France at the top of the tournament’s scoring charts, making them a daunting opponent for anyone in the upcoming rounds, especially Paraguay, who will face them in the Round of 16.
Mexico 2-0 Ecuador
Mexico brought the legendary Estadio Azteca to life once more by extending their undefeated streak at the stadium in FIFA World Cup matches to 10 games, securing a convincing 2-0 win over Ecuador in the round of 32. This marked their first knockout stage victory since defeating Bulgaria in the round of 16 in 1986. Mexico also celebrated a notable achievement with their fourth straight clean sheet in the tournament and now prepare to face England in the round of 16.
England 2-1 DR Congo
England struggled in their Round of 32 match against DR Congo, but captain Harry Kane scored twice to secure a 2-1 victory. This win propelled the Three Lions into the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup, despite initially falling behind. Kane’s two goals proved decisive as England advanced to face a challenging match against Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium.
Belgium 3-2 Senegal (AET)
A penalty by Youri Tielemans in the 125th minute secured Belgium’s remarkable comeback from a two-goal deficit, resulting in a 3-2 extra-time win against Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match. This victory extends Belgium’s unbeaten streak to 17 games (11 wins, 6 draws). Belgium will return to Seattle in six days to play against the United States, as their veteran stars pursue one final chance at glory.
USA 2-0 Bosnia & Herzegovina
A few days ahead of their 250th independence anniversary, the USA kicked off the celebrations early by securing a spot in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 with a 2-0 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina at Levi’s Stadium. This marked only their second knockout win in nine World Cup attempts. Despite being down to 10 players for much of the second half, Pochettino’s team showed great resilience to advance to the Round of 16 for the fourth consecutive World Cup they have competed in. They will now take on Belgium in Seattle.
Spain 3-0 Austria
Spain demonstrated their skill with a 3-0 victory over Austria, securing their place in the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup while maintaining a clean sheet. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring, marking his 23rd and 24th goal contributions in his last 16 international matches. Spain will next face Portugal.
Portugal 2-1 Croatia
Portugal progressed to the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 to face Spain following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a resilient Croatian team in Toronto. This outcome means that Portugal has never been defeated in a competitive match against Croatia (6 wins, 1 draw) and has lost only once in their 11 overall head-to-head encounters (8 wins, 2 draws).
Switzerland 2-0 Algeria
Switzerland secured a spot in the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup by defeating Algeria 2-0 at BC Place, marking their first competitive encounter against each other. In the Round of 16 on Tuesday, Switzerland will take on Colombia, with strong ambitions to advance to the quarter-finals.
Australia 1-1 Egypt (Egypt win 4-2 on penalties)
Egypt secured their first-ever victory in a FIFA World Cup knockout match by defeating Australia 4-2 in a penalty shootout in Dallas. This win advances them to the Round of 16, where they will compete against the defending champions Argentina.
Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde (AET)
Argentina were pushed to extra time for a record 12th time at the FIFA World Cup before ultimately defeating Cape Verde 3-2 in the round of 32 in Florida. La Selección move on to the round of 16, where they will take on Egypt, while Cape Verde suffered their first loss of the tournament but represented their country with pride.
Colombia 1-0 Ghana
Colombia progressed to the Round of 16 in the FIFA World Cup by securing a 1-0 victory over Ghana in Kansas City, extending their unbeaten streak in competitive matches to nine games and marking their fifth consecutive win against African teams in the tournament. This marks Colombia’s fourth consecutive World Cup reaching the last 16, while Ghana was eliminated after losing all four of their encounters against South American teams in the World Cup.
