2026 World Cup Round of 16: Schedule, Matchups, and Team Qualifications
The 2026 World Cup started with 48 teams, but after an intense Round of 32 filled with penalty shootouts, late goals, and surprising exits, only 16 teams remain in the tournament. The co-hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States have all been knocked out, leaving traditional powerhouses like Argentina, Belgium, England, France, and Spain among those competing for the quarterfinal spots.
The top two teams from each of the 12 groups automatically advanced, along with the eight best third-place teams. After some shocking results in the Round of 32—such as the eliminations of Germany, the Netherlands, and Japan—every match now is a knockout battle toward the trophy.
Round of 16 Schedule and Results
- Saturday, July 4: Morocco 3-0 Canada, France 1-0 ParaguayNext match: Morocco vs. France on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET in Boston
- Sunday, July 5: Norway 2-1 Brazil, England 3-2 MexicoNext match: Norway vs. England on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET in Miami
- Monday, July 6: Spain 1-0 Portugal, Belgium 4-1 USANext match: Spain vs. Belgium on Friday at 3 p.m. ET in Los Angeles
- Tuesday, July 7: Egypt vs. Argentina at 12 p.m. ET in Atlanta, Switzerland vs. Colombia at 4 p.m. ET in Vancouver
Upcoming Quarterfinal Matches
- Thursday, July 9: France vs. Morocco, 4 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium, Massachusetts
- Friday, July 10: Spain vs. Belgium, 3 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium, California
- Saturday, July 11: Norway vs. England, 5 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami; Winner of Egypt/Argentina vs. Switzerland/Colombia, 9 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Semifinals and Final Schedule
- Tuesday, July 14: Semifinal 1 - Winner of France/Morocco vs. winner of Spain/Belgium at 3 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium, Texas
- Wednesday, July 15: Semifinal 2 - Winners of Norway/England and Egypt/Argentina or Switzerland/Colombia at 3 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Saturday, July 18: Third-place match at 5 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
- Sunday, July 19: Final match at 3 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
Round of 32 Highlights and Matchups
Each group’s final order set the stage for the knockout rounds, with teams advancing based on their rankings and points:
Group A
Mexico topped the group with 9 points, advancing to face Ecuador. South Africa secured second place and will meet Canada. South Korea finished third but missed out on one of the best third-place spots. Czechia was eliminated.
Group B
Switzerland won the group, set to face Algeria. Canada took second place, matched with South Africa. Bosnia and Herzegovina advanced as a best third-place team to play the USA. Qatar was knocked out.
Group C
Brazil led the group, facing Japan next. Morocco earned second place and will meet the Netherlands. Scotland and Haiti were eliminated.
Group D
USA topped the group to face Bosnia and Herzegovina. Australia finished second, set to play Egypt. Paraguay qualified as a top third-place team to meet Germany. Türkiye was eliminated.
Group E
Germany led the group to face Paraguay. Ivory Coast finished second against Norway. Ecuador advanced as a best third-place team to play Mexico. Curaçao was eliminated.
Group F
Netherlands topped the group and will face Morocco. Japan took second, matched with Brazil. Sweden moved on as a best third-place team to face France. Tunisia was eliminated.
Group G
Belgium led the group and will face Senegal. Egypt came second, playing Australia. Iran and New Zealand were eliminated.
Group H
Spain topped the group and will meet Austria. Cape Verde finished second, matched with Argentina. Uruguay and Saudi Arabia were eliminated.
Group I
France won the group, playing Sweden. Norway took second to face Ivory Coast. Senegal advanced as a best third-place team against Belgium. Iraq was eliminated.
Group J
Argentina topped the group and will play Cape Verde. Austria faces Spain, while Algeria meets Switzerland. Jordan was knocked out.
Group K
Colombia finished first, matched with Ghana. Portugal will face Croatia. DR Congo advances as a best third-place team to play England. Uzbekistan was eliminated.
Group L
England topped the group and will meet DR Congo. Croatia takes on Portugal. Ghana advanced as a best third-place team to face Colombia. Panama was eliminated.
