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2026 World Cup Round of 32: Matchups and Possible Round of 16 Encounters

With group play nearing its end, the lineup for the Round of 32 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is almost complete. As of early July, 14 teams have secured places in the knockout phase, and four matches are officially set. By the weekend’s close, all Round of 32 fixtures will be finalized, sparking conversations about the potential Round of 16 battles ahead.

Confirmed Round of 32 Matches

  • Match 74:Germany clinched Group E and will face Paraguay, who took third place in Group A, B, C, D, or F.
  • Match 77: Group I winner France, having beaten Norway decisively, will meet Sweden, a confirmed third-place team.
  • Match 73: A fully locked-in clash between second-place teams, South Africa (Group A) versus Canada (Group B).
  • Match 75:Netherlands topped Group F and will battle Morocco, who finished second in Group C.
  • Match 83:Portugal secured second in Group K and will challenge Croatia, runner-up in Group L after beating Ghana.
  • Match 84: The top team from Group H, Spain, will face second-place Austria from Group J.
  • Match 81: The United States earned a knockout spot early and will play Bosnia and Herzegovina, a third-place qualifier.
  • Match 82: Group G champion Belgium will confront third-place Senegal.
  • Match 76: Group C winners Brazil take on Group F’s runners-up, Japan.
  • Match 78: Second-place Ivory Coast faces Group I’s runner-up Norway.
  • Match 79: Host nation Mexico meets third-place Ecuador.
  • Match 80:England, winners of Group L, play third-place DR Congo.
  • Match 86: Defending champions Argentina face Cabo Verde, second in Group H.
  • Match 88: Second-place Australia goes up against Egypt, the runner-up in Group G.
  • Match 85: Group B winners Switzerland take on third-place Algeria.
  • Match 87: Group K winners Colombia meet third-place Ghana.

Round of 16 Potential Clashes

Looking ahead, these matchups will determine the teams moving forward:

  • Match 89: Winner of Germany vs. Paraguay takes on winner of France vs. Sweden. Paraguay advanced past Germany on penalties, while France defeated Sweden 3-0.
  • Match 90:Canada beat South Africa and will face Morocco, who won a penalty shootout against the Netherlands.
  • Match 93: This will feature winners from Portugal vs. Croatia and Spain vs. Austria. Spain secured the top spot in Group H.
  • Match 94: The United States defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina and will play Belgium, who edged Senegal 3-2.
  • Match 91:Brazil, after a narrow win over Japan, will face Norway, who beat Ivory Coast 2-1.
  • Match 92:Mexico won over Ecuador and will meet England, victors against DR Congo.
  • Match 95: Winners of Argentina vs. Cabo Verde and Australia vs. Egypt will clash. Cabo Verde and Egypt clinched their spots as runners-up in Groups H and G respectively.
  • Match 96: The final Round of 16 fixture will see winners of Switzerland vs. Algeria and Colombia vs. Ghana face off. Colombia claimed Group K’s top spot.

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