2026 World Cup Round of 16: Updated Schedule and Results for the Knockout Stage

The World Cup has narrowed down from 48 teams to just 16 competitors. Out of the initial 32 teams that advanced beyond the group stage into the first knockout round, half have now been eliminated. The Round of 16 marks a crucial phase where the stakes rise and excitement builds.

Many of the tournament favorites remain, although surprises have already occurred with Germany losing to Paraguay and the Netherlands being knocked out earlier. The question remains whether more upsets will unfold or if the quarterfinals will showcase all the top contenders.

Round of 16 Matchups and Schedule

The pairings for the Round of 16 were set before the tournament began, and each team’s spot was confirmed after their Round of 32 victory. Here is the schedule of matches:

• Sat., July 4: France 1, Paraguay 0
• Sat., July 4: Morocco 3, Canada 0
• Sun., July 5: Norway 2, Brazil 1
• Sun., July 5: England 3, Mexico 2
• Mon., July 6: Portugal vs. Spain
• Mon., July 6: USA vs. Belgium
• Tue., July 7: Argentina vs. Egypt
• Tue., July 7: Switzerland vs. Colombia

Breakdown of the Bracket

The Round of 16 bracket splits into two halves, each producing one finalist for the World Cup final.

First Half Contenders: Paraguay (Group D third-place, eliminated Germany in Round of 32), France (Group I winner), Canada (Group B runner-up), Morocco (Group C runner-up), Portugal (Group K runner-up), Spain (Group H winner), United States (Group D winner), Belgium (Group G winner).

Second Half Contenders: Mexico (Group A winner), Switzerland (Group B winner), Brazil (Group C winner), Colombia (Group K winner), Egypt (Group G runner-up), Argentina (Group J winner), Norway (Group I runner-up), England (Group L winner).

How Teams Reached the Round of 16

Canada was the first to advance by beating South Africa 1-0. The remaining teams secured their spots through various knockout matches, the last being Colombia’s 1-0 win over Ghana on July 3.

Understanding the Round of 16 Format

This round is part of the knockout stage where matches are single elimination. Winners advance, losers go home. There are no draws. If tied after 90 minutes, the game moves to 30 minutes of extra time. Should the deadlock hold, a penalty shootout decides who proceeds.

Each side selects five players for the shootout initially. If still tied after those attempts, sudden death kicks continue until one team scores and the other misses.

Path to the Round of 16

The World Cup begins with 48 teams split into 14 groups of four. Each team plays the others in their group once, earning three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss. Ties in points are broken by goal difference and goals scored.

The top two teams from each group plus the eight best third-place teams move on to the knockout stage. From there, matches follow a single-elimination format through the Round of 32, Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final. Losers in the semifinals play for third place.