France, Norway and Mexico have secured places in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after winning their respective Round of 32 matches.
France booked their place in the next stage with a victory over Sweden and will now face Paraguay on Saturday, July 4. Paraguay produced one of the tournament’s biggest upsets by eliminating four-time champions Germany 4-3 on penalties after both sides played out a 1-1 draw.
Norway’s remarkable debut World Cup campaign continued with a win over Ivory Coast. The Scandinavian side will now take on five-time champions Brazil in the Round of 16.
Brazil sealed their place in the last 16 after edging Japan 2-1 in a closely fought encounter, setting up a mouthwatering clash between the Selecao and Erling Haaland-led Norway.
Mexico also progressed after defeating Ecuador in the Round of 32. They will face either DR Congo or England, with the final Round of 16 pairing to be decided after both teams meet later on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Nigerian time.
Meanwhile, the race for the Golden Boot is intensifying. France captain Kylian Mbappe and Argentina star Lionel Messi currently top the scoring chart with six goals each, while Norway’s Erling Haaland is close behind with five goals.