The Round of 32 matches at the FIFA World Cup 2026 are slowly but surely drawing to a close!
The first Round of 16 clashes are already confirmed, while several top nations still need to qualify for them. England and Belgium are aiming for one of the coveted spots.
An overview of the schedule on July 1st:
Schedule, July 1st (CEST):
18:00: England - DR Congo (LIVE Ticker >>>)
The "Three Lions" enter the match as clear favorites against the surprise team from Africa.
In the group stage, Thomas Tuchel's side remained unbeaten, securing two clear wins and a goalless draw against Ghana.
DR Congo, on the other hand, fought their way into the Round of 32 from a tough group. They suffered a narrow defeat against Colombia, earned a draw against Portugal, and ultimately defeated Uzbekistan.
22:00: Belgium - Senegal (LIVE Ticker >>>)
The "Red Devils" struggled in the group. Only in the final group match did they reach the Round of 32 with a commanding 5-1 victory over New Zealand.
Previously, there were only draws against Iran and Egypt. Nevertheless, the perennial "dark horse" still possesses plenty of quality in attack.
Senegal also qualified for the Round of 32 with a 5-0 thrashing of Iraq. Before that, there were defeats against France and Norway.
Schedule, July 2nd (CEST):
02:00: USA - Bosnia and Herzegovina (LIVE Ticker >>>)
Two wins, one defeat against already eliminated Turkey in the inconsequential final group match – that's the current record for co-host USA.
The USA aim to reach the Round of 16 – and improve their record in knockout ties. In their last eight knockout matches at World Cups, the United States suffered seven defeats.
The USA has struggled against European opponents. Their last ten matches against European teams were all lost.
As group third-place finishers behind Switzerland and Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina are the underdogs in this tie. So far, the team has conceded six goals, and in all six matches of Bosnia's World Cup history, they have never kept a clean sheet.
21:00: Spain - Austria (LIVE Ticker >>>)
Spain are the clear favorites in this encounter. Reigning European champions, among the World Cup favorites – and for the first time in a World Cup, advanced through the group stage without conceding a goal. Spain has not lost in 13 consecutive matches.
After an unforgettably thrilling finish in the match against Algeria, the Austrian squad has nothing left to lose – and perhaps some momentum.
For the ÖFB, this is their first participation in a World Cup knockout round since 1954.
The record favors Spain: In their last five matches, the Southern Europeans won four times and drew once. But: The only previous World Cup encounter went to Austria! 1978, 2-1.
World Cup 2026: These are the Round of 32 clashes >>>
