By OkayGoal 
The 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage has officially come to an end, with the tournament now entering the highly anticipated Round of 32.
Austria and Algeria became the final two teams to secure their places in the knockout stage after playing out a dramatic 3-3 draw, completing the list of 32 nations still chasing World Cup glory.
Exciting Round of 32 Matches Await
Although the knockout phase has only just begun, several heavyweight clashes are already set to entertain football fans around the world.
Five-time champions Brazil will take on Japan, while Portugal will face Croatia in another mouth-watering tie. Other standout fixtures include the Netherlands vs Morocco, Belgium vs Senegal, France vs Sweden, and Ivory Coast vs Norway.
With every match now being win-or-go-home, the race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 trophy is about to become even more intense.
Qualified Teams by Group
| Group | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| A | Mexico (9 pts) | South Africa (4 pts) |
| B | Switzerland (7 pts) | Canada (4 pts) |
| C | Brazil (7 pts) | Morocco (7 pts) |
| D | USA (9 pts) | Australia (4 pts) |
| E | Germany (6 pts) | Ivory Coast (6 pts) |
| F | Netherlands (7 pts) | Japan (5 pts) |
| G | Belgium (5 pts) | Egypt (5 pts) |
| H | Spain (7 pts) | Cape Verde (3 pts) |
| I | France (9 pts) | Norway (6 pts) |
| J | Argentina (7 pts) | Austria (4 pts) |
| K | Colombia (7 pts) | Portugal (5 pts) |
| L | England (7 pts) | Croatia (6 pts) |
Best Third-Placed Teams
| Rank | Team | Group | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ecuador | E | 4 |
| 2 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | B | 4 |
| 3 | Sweden | F | 4 |
| 4 | Ghana | L | 4 |
| 5 | Paraguay | D | 4 |
| 6 | Algeria | J | 4 |
| 7 | Senegal | I | 3 |
| 8 | DR Congo | K | 3 |
Official Round of 32 Schedule
| Date | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 28 June | South Africa vs Canada | Los Angeles Stadium |
| 29 June | Brazil vs Japan | Houston Stadium |
| 29 June | Germany vs Paraguay | Boston Stadium |
| 29 June | Netherlands vs Morocco | Estadio Monterrey |
| 30 June | Ivory Coast vs Norway | Dallas Stadium |
| 30 June | France vs Sweden | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| 30 June | Mexico vs Ecuador | Mexico City Stadium |
| 1 July | England vs DR Congo | Atlanta Stadium |
| 1 July | Belgium vs Senegal | Seattle Stadium |
| 1 July | USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina | San Francisco Bay Area Stadium |
| 2 July | Spain vs Austria | Los Angeles Stadium |
| 2 July | Portugal vs Croatia | Toronto Stadium |
| 2 July | Switzerland vs Algeria | BC Place, Vancouver |
| 3 July | Australia vs Egypt | Dallas Stadium |
| 3 July | Argentina vs Cape Verde | Miami Stadium |
| 3 July | Colombia vs Ghana | Kansas City Stadium |
Aside from the upcoming knockout games thrillers, the race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot is becoming increasingly competitive. Lionel Messi currently leads the scoring charts with six goals, while Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembele, Vinicius Jr, and Erling Haaland remain his closest challengers heading into the Round of 32.
⚽ FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot Standings
| Rank | Player | Nation | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 6 |
| 2 | Ousmane Dembélé | France | 4 |
| 3 | Kylian Mbappé | France | 4 |
| 4 | Erling Haaland | Norway | 4 |
| 5 | Vinícius Júnior | Brazil | 4 |