Sports
World Cup 2026 Round of 32: Full Fixtures, Dates, Venues
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 is officially set, with heavyweight clashes including Brazil vs Japan, France vs Sweden and Portugal vs Croatia.
- The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 is officially set, with heavyweight clashes including Brazil vs Japan, France vs Sweden and Portugal vs Croatia.

Nine African nations have also made history by reaching the Round of 32 in the expanded tournament.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 has entered its most exciting stage after the conclusion of an action-packed group phase, with all 16 Round of 32 fixtures now confirmed.
The expanded tournament, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches for the first time in history, has already produced stunning upsets, memorable performances and emerging contenders for football’s biggest prize.
Co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, the competition kicked off on June 11 and has attracted millions of fans across North America.
With the group stage now over, attention shifts to the knockout rounds, where every match becomes a do-or-die encounter. Unlike the group phase, there are no second chances, as losing teams will be immediately eliminated from the competition.
Several blockbuster ties headline the Round of 32, including:
- Brazil vs Japan
- Netherlands vs Morocco
- France vs Sweden
- Portugal vs Croatia
- Belgium vs Senegal
- England vs DR Congo
- Argentina vs Cape Verde
One of the biggest talking points of the tournament has been Africa’s impressive performance. Nine of the continent’s ten representatives have progressed to the knockout stage, underlining the growing strength of African football on the global stage.
The African teams that reached the Round of 32 are:
- South Africa
- Morocco
- Ivory Coast
- DR Congo
- Senegal
- Algeria
- Egypt
- Cape Verde
- Ghana
Confirmed Round of 32 Fixtures
- South Africa vs Canada – June 28
- Brazil vs Japan – June 29
- Germany vs Paraguay – June 29
- Netherlands vs Morocco – June 29
- Ivory Coast vs Norway – June 30
- France vs Sweden – June 30
- Mexico vs Ecuador – June 30
- England vs DR Congo – July 1
- Belgium vs Senegal – July 1
- United States vs Bosnia and Herzegovina – July 1
- Spain vs Austria – July 2
- Portugal vs Croatia – July 2
- Switzerland vs Algeria – July 2
- Australia vs Egypt – July 3
- Argentina vs Cape Verde – July 3
- Colombia vs Ghana – July 3
The Round of 16 will begin on July 4, while the tournament will culminate with the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
With the world’s biggest football stars still chasing glory and several underdogs dreaming of history, the stage is set for a thrilling knockout phase at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.


