2026 World Cup: All Round of 16 Pairings Set

The group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has wrapped up, finalizing the matchups for the Round of 16 knockout phase. The first playoff games are scheduled to commence this Sunday evening.

Notably, nine African nations have qualified for the knockout stage, a record number. Among them, five countries, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Cabo Verde, Ivory Coast, and South Africa, are making their debut in this stage of the tournament. Algeria, Ghana, Morocco, and Senegal also advanced, leaving Tunisia as the only African team eliminated after the group stage.

Argentina's Lionel Messi leads the tournament's scoring chart with six goals. He achieved a hat-trick against Algeria and a brace against Austria, adding another goal against Jordan. Close behind are Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé of France, Brazil's Vinícius Júnior, and Norway's Erling Haaland, all with four goals.

The Round of 16 schedule is as follows: South Africa vs. Canada, Germany vs. Paraguay, Brazil vs. Japan, Netherlands vs. Morocco, Ivory Coast vs. Norway, France vs. Sweden, Mexico vs. Ecuador, England vs. DR Congo, Belgium vs. Senegal, Spain vs. Austria, USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal vs. Croatia, Australia vs. Egypt, Switzerland vs. Algeria, Argentina vs. Cabo Verde, and Colombia vs. Ghana.