The group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded on Sunday, paving the way for the tournament’s first-ever Round of 32.
With FIFA expanding the World Cup from 32 to 48 participating nations, the 2026 edition introduces an additional knockout phase before the traditional Round of 16. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups secured automatic qualification, while the eight highest-ranked third-placed teams completed the 32-team lineup.
One of the standout stories of the group stage was the impressive performance of tournament newcomers Cabo Verde. The African side progressed to the knockout stage without recording a single victory, becoming the first nation since Chile in 1998 to advance after drawing all three of their group matches.
Cabo Verde played out stalemates against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia and will now face Lionel Messi’s Argentina in a landmark Round of 32 encounter.
Elsewhere, Egypt reached the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in the country’s history, while DR Congo earned a place in the last 32 after defeating Uzbekistan in their final group fixture.
Portugal, captained by Cristiano Ronaldo, finished second in Group K following a scoreless draw with Colombia. Croatia also secured second place in Group L after overcoming Ghana, finishing behind group winners England.
Uruguay’s elimination was one of the tournament’s biggest shocks, with the South American side failing to advance beyond the group stage.
Teams that emerge victorious in the Round of 32 will move on to the Round of 16, after which the tournament will continue in its traditional single-elimination format through the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.
2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 Schedule (Kick-off time in WAT)
| Date | Match | Kick-off (WAT) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 29 | South Africa vs Canada | 7:30pm | Los Angeles |
| June 30 | Brazil vs Japan | 5:30pm | Houston |
| June 30 | Germany vs Paraguay | 9:00pm | Foxborough |
| July 1 | Netherlands vs Morocco | 1:30am | Guadalajara |
| July 1 | Côte d’Ivoire vs Norway | 5:30pm | Arlington |
| July 1 | France vs Sweden | 9:30pm | New Jersey |
| July 2 | Mexico vs Ecuador | 1:30am | Mexico City |
| July 2 | England vs DR Congo | 4:30pm | Atlanta |
| July 2 | Belgium vs Senegal | 8:30pm | Seattle |
| July 3 | United States vs Bosnia and Herzegovina | 12:30am | Santa Clara |
| July 3 | Spain vs Austria | 7:30pm | Los Angeles |
| July 3 | Portugal vs Croatia | 11:30pm | Toronto |
| July 4 | Switzerland vs Algeria | 3:30am | Vancouver |
| July 4 | Australia vs Egypt | 6:30pm | Arlington |
| July 4 | Argentina vs Cabo Verde | 10:30pm | Miami |
| July 5 | Colombia vs Ghana | 2:00am | Kansas City |
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