World Cup 2026 Round of 32: Results, Upsets and What They Mean

The Round of 32 is done. Sixteen matches across eight days produced a bracket of 16 for the Round of 16, and the results tell a clear story: the tournament's elite are advancing, but three nations nobody picked to reach the second knockout round are in it anyway.

The Confirmed Favourites

France, England, Argentina, Netherlands, Brazil, Germany, Spain and Portugal all won their Round of 32 fixtures without drama. France's 3-0 demolition of South Korea at MetLife on July 4 set the tone — Mbappé scored twice in 18 minutes and it was over as a contest by halftime. England followed four hours later with a 2-1 win over Australia that was tighter than it should have been: Australia scored early and held England level until the 67th minute, when Bellingham produced the quality the match required.

Argentina's 2-0 win over Colombia was comfortable. Netherlands beat Senegal 2-1 in a match that was competitive for an hour before Dutch class told. Brazil crushed Ecuador 3-0 — the most one-sided result of the entire round. Germany beat Algeria 2-1, Spain saw off Austria 2-1, Portugal beat Uruguay 2-0 without their best football.

Three Upsets Worth Discussing

Norway 2-1 Scotland (July 8, Lumen Field) is the result that will define this round. Norway finished second in Group I behind France — a group that included Senegal and Iraq — and were not expected to eliminate a Scotland side that had qualified from Group C as one of the best third-place teams. Erling Haaland had been quiet by his standards through the group stage, but he scored both Norway goals at Lumen Field, the second a 78th-minute header that ended Scotland's tournament. Norway face Spain in the Round of 16. Nothing about that fixture is comfortable for Spain.

Switzerland 1-0 Japan (July 11, Estadio BBVA) was the evening's other major shock. Japan had beaten Netherlands in the group stage at Qatar 2022 and were expected to test Switzerland's defence aggressively. Instead Xherdan Shaqiri — 34 years old and making what he called his final World Cup appearance — scored a first-half free kick that Switzerland defended with the composure of a team that has now reached the Round of 16 at three consecutive World Cups. Japan created 17 shots. Switzerland kept 1-0.

Morocco 1-0 Croatia (July 10, BMO Field) completed the upsets. Croatia, World Cup finalists in 2018 and bronze medallists in 2022, were eliminated by a Morocco side that conceded three goals in the entire group stage. The only goal came from a Hakim Ziyech free kick in the 61st minute. Morocco's defensive discipline is now a tournament-defining story.

Canada's Moment

Canada's 2-1 win over South Africa at Estadio Azteca (July 10) deserves its own mention. A host nation advancing past the Round of 32 was expected but not guaranteed — South Africa had beaten Mexico in their group stage opener and qualified as a genuine team, not just a participant. Canada won with goals from Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, and the Azteca crowd — 87,000 strong — gave them a reception normally reserved for Mexican victories. The Round of 16 fixture against England at AT&T Stadium is the match Canada's tournament has been building toward.