The 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 has officially wrapped up, completing the lineup for the Round of 16 after a dramatic day filled with extra time, penalty shootouts, and memorable performances.
Defending champions Argentina narrowly escaped one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, while Egypt celebrated a historic milestone and Colombia continued their unbeaten run with another disciplined display.
Argentina Edge Cabo Verde After Extra-Time Drama
Argentina survived a massive scare against tournament debutants Cabo Verde, eventually claiming a 3-2 extra-time victory in one of the tournament’s most entertaining matches.
Lionel Messi gave Argentina the lead in the 29th minute after timing his run perfectly to meet Lautaro Martínez’s lofted pass before firing into the roof of the net. The goal marked Messi’s 20th career World Cup goal, adding another milestone to his legendary international career.
Cabo Verde refused to back down. Inspired by several outstanding saves from veteran goalkeeper Vozinha, the underdogs leveled the match in the 59th minute through Deroy Duarte, stunning both Argentina and the crowd.
The drama continued into extra time. Lisandro Martínez restored Argentina’s advantage early in the additional period, only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to respond minutes later with a superb curling strike that forced another equalizer.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 111th minute when Cristian Romero’s header deflected off defender Diney Borges and into the net for an own goal, sending Argentina into the next round and ending Cabo Verde’s remarkable World Cup journey.
Colombia Continue Unbeaten Run With Tactical Victory
Colombia booked their place in the Round of 16 after defeating Ghana 1-0 in a composed and disciplined performance.
The decisive moment came in the 14th minute after an early injury forced Jhon Córdoba off the pitch. Substitute Luis Suárez immediately made an impact, racing down the right wing before delivering a precise pass to Jhon Arias, who finished first time into the bottom corner.
Colombia thought they had doubled their lead midway through the second half when Luis Díaz found the net. However, a lengthy VAR review ruled the goal out for a marginal offside.
Despite Ghana’s bright opening, Colombia’s organized defensive shape completely controlled the remainder of the contest. After Thomas Partey’s early long-range effort, Ghana failed to register another shot on target as Colombia comfortably protected their advantage.
Egypt Make History After Penalty Shootout Success
Egypt reached the Round of 16 by defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties after the teams finished level at 1-1 following extra time.
Emam Ashour handed Egypt an early lead in the 13th minute before Australia equalized after a cross deflected off Mohamed Hany for an own goal midway through the second half.
With penalties approaching, Australia introduced experienced goalkeeper Mathew Ryan in the 118th minute specifically for the shootout. The tactical gamble failed to pay off.
Egypt converted all four penalties, including a composed finish from Mohamed Salah, while Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington missed for Australia.
The victory marks Egypt’s first-ever knockout stage win at a FIFA World Cup, setting up a blockbuster Round of 16 clash against defending champions Argentina.
Final Round of 32 Results
| Colombia vs. Ghana | Colombia 1-0 Ghana |
| Argentina vs. Cabo Verde | Argentina 3-2 Cabo Verde (AET) |
| Australia vs. Egypt | 1-1 (Egypt won 4-2 on penalties) |
Full 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 Schedule
| Fixture | Date (UTC) | Time (UTC) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada vs. Morocco | July 4 | 17:00 | Houston Stadium |
| Paraguay vs. France | July 4 | 21:00 | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Brazil vs. Norway | July 5 | 20:00 | East Rutherford Stadium |
| Mexico vs. England | July 6 | 02:00 | Mexico City Stadium |
| Portugal vs. Spain | July 6 | 20:00 | Dallas Stadium |
| USA vs. Belgium | July 7 | 00:00 | Seattle Stadium |
| Argentina vs. Egypt | July 7 | 16:00 | Atlanta Stadium |
| Switzerland vs. Colombia | July 7 | 20:00 | BC Place, Vancouver |
Canada Aim to Extend Historic Home Campaign
Co-hosts Canada continue their best-ever World Cup run and now face a stern challenge against Morocco, one of the tournament’s strongest defensive teams. Canadian striker Jonathan David will be expected to lead the attack against a backline that has impressed throughout the competition.
France Face Dangerous Underdogs Paraguay
While France enter as clear favorites behind superstar Kylian Mbappé, they cannot afford to underestimate Paraguay.
Paraguay already shocked the football world by eliminating Germany earlier in the tournament and will look to produce another upset against one of the championship favorites.
Quarterfinals Await
With the Round of 16 now officially confirmed, the race toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy intensifies.
The eight winners will advance to the Quarterfinals, scheduled to be played from July 10 to July 12, bringing the tournament one step closer to crowning a new world champion.
