The group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has drawn to a close, marking the official transition into the high-octane knockout phase. After 16 days of intense competition, the final 32 teams have been determined. With the tournament being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, every upcoming match will now be a do-or-die affair, where a single defeat guarantees immediate elimination from the competition.
In the Round of 32, the reigning world champions, Argentina, are set to face Cape Verde, a team making their first-ever World Cup appearance. Meanwhile, tournament favorites France will square off against Sweden. Portugal, which finished its group stage with a 0-0 draw against Colombia, is now slated to compete against Croatia, the runners-up of the 2018 World Cup.
The five-time world champions, Brazil, will challenge a strong Asian contender in Japan in their next fixture. The final match of the Round of 32 will see Colombia take on Ghana on July 4. Under the tournament's revised format, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams, have advanced to the final-32 phase.
Teams Qualifying for the Round of 32
- Group A: Mexico, South Africa
- Group B: Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Group C: Brazil, Morocco
- Group D: USA, Australia, Paraguay
- Group E: Germany, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
- Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden
- Group G: Belgium, Egypt
- Group H: Spain, Cape Verde
- Group I: France, Norway, Senegal
- Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria
- Group K: Colombia, Portugal, DR Congo
- Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana
Full Schedule for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32
- June 29: South Africa vs Canada, Los Angeles (12:30 AM IST)
- June 29: Brazil vs Japan, Houston (10:30 PM IST)
- June 30: Germany vs Paraguay, Foxborough (2:00 AM IST)
- June 30: Netherlands vs Morocco, Guadalajara (6:30 AM IST)
- June 30: Ivory Coast vs Norway, Arlington (10:30 PM IST)
- July 1: France vs Sweden, New Jersey (2:30 AM IST)
- July 1: Mexico vs Ecuador, Mexico City (6:30 AM IST)
- July 1: England vs DR Congo, Atlanta (9:30 PM IST)
- July 2: Belgium vs Senegal, Seattle (1:30 AM IST)
- July 2: United States vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, Santa Clara (5:30 AM IST)
- July 3: Spain vs Austria, Los Angeles (12:30 AM IST)
- July 3: Portugal vs Croatia, Toronto (4:30 AM IST)
- July 3: Switzerland vs Algeria, Vancouver (8:30 AM IST)
- July 3: Australia vs Egypt, Arlington (11:30 PM IST)
- July 4: Argentina vs Cape Verde, Miami (3:30 PM IST)
- July 4: Colombia vs Ghana, Kansas City (7:00 AM IST)
