World Cup 2026 Round of 16: Full Results, Recap and the Quarter-Final Line-Up
The World Cup 2026 Round of 16 was one of the most dramatic knockout rounds in memory. All three host nations crashed out, five-time champions Brazil were sent home, Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career ended in tears, and holders Argentina survived a stunning scare. Played from July 4 to July 7 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the last 16 produced shocks, fairytales and unforgettable comebacks. Here is the complete record: every result, a recap of all eight ties, and the quarter-final matchups that emerged.
Round completed: July 7, 2026.
World Cup 2026 Round of 16 results in full
| Date | Tie | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jul 4 | Canada vs Morocco | 0-3 |
| Sat, Jul 4 | Paraguay vs France | 0-1 |
| Sun, Jul 5 | Brazil vs Norway | 1-2 |
| Sun, Jul 5 | Mexico vs England | 2-3 |
| Mon, Jul 6 | Spain vs Portugal | 1-0 |
| Mon, Jul 6 | Belgium vs USA | 4-1 |
| Tue, Jul 7 | Argentina vs Egypt | 3-2 |
| Tue, Jul 7 | Switzerland vs Colombia | 0-0 (SUI win 4-3 on pens) |
How the Round of 16 unfolded
Morocco 3-0 Canada. The co-hosts’ dream ended in Houston. Inspired by Azzedine Ounahi, Morocco were too strong for a Canada side reaching the knockouts for the first time, and became the first African team ever to reach back-to-back World Cup quarter-finals.
France 1-0 Paraguay. The giant-killers who dumped out Germany finally ran out of magic. A Kylian Mbappe penalty was enough for the favourites to edge a stubborn Paraguay and move into the last eight.
Norway 2-1 Brazil. The shock of the round. Erling Haaland scored both goals to knock out the five-time champions and fire Norway into their first-ever quarter-final. It also marked the end of Neymar’s World Cup story, as Brazil crashed out.
England 3-2 Mexico. A classic at a roaring Estadio Azteca. England produced arguably their best win on foreign soil, holding on with ten men for much of the second half to end Mexico’s home run. Veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa bowed out of his final World Cup in tears.
Spain 1-0 Portugal. An Iberian showdown settled late. Spain dominated but were frustrated until substitute Mikel Merino struck in the 91st minute, set up by Ferran Torres. The defeat brought the curtain down on Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career, which we cover in full in our Ronaldo feature.
Belgium 4-1 USA. The last co-host fell in Seattle. Charles De Ketelaere opened the scoring, Malik Tillman equalised with a superb free kick, but Belgium then ran riot to reach the quarter-finals and end the United States’ home tournament.
Argentina 3-2 Egypt. One of the great knockout comebacks. Egypt led 2-0 with 11 minutes to go, but the holders roared back through Cristian Romero, a Lionel Messi strike, and an Enzo Fernandez winner in stoppage time. It was Messi’s eighth goal of the tournament, scored in a record sixth straight World Cup knockout game.
Switzerland 0-0 Colombia (Switzerland win 4-3 on penalties). A tense, goalless battle in Vancouver went to spot kicks. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was the hero, saving from Cucho Hernandez, before Ruben Vargas fired the winning penalty to send Switzerland into their first quarter-final since 1954.
The biggest stories of the round
The last 16 will be remembered for the fall of the host nations, with the USA, Canada and Mexico all eliminated within three days. It was also a round of farewells, as Ronaldo, Neymar and Ochoa all played their final World Cup games. Brazil’s exit at the hands of Haaland’s Norway was the standout upset, while Argentina’s refusal to die against Egypt showed exactly why they are the reigning champions. For the surviving stars, the race for the Golden Boot is now led by Messi.
The quarter-final line-up
The eight winners advance to the quarter-finals, played from July 9 to July 11. Here are the ties the Round of 16 produced.
| Quarter-final | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Morocco vs France | Thu, Jul 9 | Boston |
| Spain vs Belgium | Fri, Jul 10 | Los Angeles |
| Norway vs England | Sat, Jul 11 | Miami |
| Argentina vs Switzerland | Sat, Jul 11 | Kansas City |
Full previews are on our quarter-finals guide.
What comes next
From the quarter-finals, the bracket narrows quickly. The semi-finals are on July 14 in Arlington and July 15 in Atlanta, the third-place play-off is on July 18 in Miami, and the final is on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Follow the full knockout picture on our World Cup 2026 bracket and revisit the previous round on our Round of 32 page. Official details are on FIFA’s site.
Frequently asked questions
What were the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 results? Morocco beat Canada 3-0, France beat Paraguay 1-0, Norway beat Brazil 2-1, England beat Mexico 3-2, Spain beat Portugal 1-0, Belgium beat the USA 4-1, Argentina beat Egypt 3-2, and Switzerland beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties.
Which big teams were knocked out in the Round of 16? Brazil and Portugal were the biggest names to fall, along with all three host nations, the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Who advanced to the quarter-finals? Morocco, France, Norway, England, Spain, Belgium, Argentina and Switzerland reached the last eight.
What were the quarter-final matchups? Morocco vs France, Spain vs Belgium, Norway vs England, and Argentina vs Switzerland.
When were the Round of 16 games played? The Round of 16 ran from Saturday, July 4 to Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
World Cup 2026 collectible
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More World Cup 2026 coverage
- How the final finished: Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time.
- Semi-final results and how the last four played out.
- Final group tables for all 48 teams.
- Team profiles for every nation and their key players.
- Where to watch, country by country.
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