France, Norway and Mexico have sealed their spots in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after emerging victorious in their respective Round of 32 matches.
France overcame Sweden to progress and will now face surprise package Paraguay, who knocked out four-time champions Germany in a dramatic penalty shootout after the teams played out a 1-1 draw. The two sides will battle for a place in the quarter-finals on Saturday, July 4.
Tournament debutants Norway continued their remarkable run by eliminating Ivory Coast and are now set for a blockbuster clash against five-time world champions Brazil.
Brazil booked their place in the last 16 after edging Japan 2-1 in a hard-fought contest, setting up a mouthwatering encounter with Erling Haaland’s Norwegian side.
Co-hosts Mexico also advanced after defeating Ecuador and will take on the winner of Sunday’s Round of 32 fixture between England and DR Congo.
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England and DR Congo are scheduled to face off later today at 5 p.m. Nigerian time, with the winner earning the right to meet Mexico in the next round.
Meanwhile, the battle for the Golden Boot is heating up. France captain Kylian Mbappé and Argentina legend Lionel Messi jointly lead the scoring charts with six goals each, while Norway’s Haaland remains firmly in contention with five goals.
