All Round of 16 Matches at the 2026 World Cup and Our Predictions

The final Round of 32 match at this summer's World Cup, between Colombia and Ghana, was played just a few hours ago, but already today it is time for the Round of 16 to get underway. Say what you will about the expanded 48-team format, but the fact that we get matches to follow every day without a break is undeniably an advantage. This is also where things really start to heat up. The weaker teams have been sent home, and it is now that several of the major nations begin to face each other.

Official football for the 2026 World Cup

Several bigger teams, as well as some nations that were considered capable of going far, have already been eliminated. We are thinking mainly of the Netherlands, Germany and Croatia among the "giants", as well as Japan, who many experts viewed as the tournament's big dark horse after their fine results over a long period ahead of the World Cup.

All Host Nations Through

The host nations Mexico, the United States and Canada have all reached the Round of 16, which is of course important for keeping interest high among the home crowds. Both Mexico and the United States have also impressed with their performances, both in the group stage and in the Round of 32. Mexico have also won four matches in a row, something only they and France have managed.

Looking at it by continent, we have three North American teams still in the tournament (the host nations, in other words), four South American teams, two African teams and seven European teams. In other words, it is goodbye to all Asian teams already after the Round of 32.

The Upcoming Round of 16 Matches and How They Will End

Here we will go through all eight matches we have to look forward to. We will also try to predict how the games will end and which teams we will therefore see in the quarter-finals.

Will the Moroccan fans have reason to celebrate on Saturday?

Canada - Morocco

Saturday 19:00 CEST (12:00 local time) in Houston, USA

First up is one of the host nations, Canada, who take on Morocco. Canada reached the Round of 16 after a narrow 1-0 win in their Round of 32 match against South Africa, thanks to a goal from Stephen Eustáquio in the 90th minute. It was perhaps not the most sparkling attacking performance, but it still showed a Canada side capable of handling the pressure. Canada have already had a historically strong tournament, as this was the first time the team had advanced from the group stage, and now they have also won a knockout match straight away. Defensively, the team held together well, showed patience, and when the chance finally came, one goal was enough to take them through.

Morocco, on the other hand, had to work considerably harder for their place in the Round of 16. Against the Netherlands, it was 1-1 after regular time and a goalless extra time. Neither team impressed in the penalty shootout, but the Moroccans took the least awful penalties, and that proved decisive. It was another reminder of the strength that made the team so difficult to beat already at the 2022 World Cup: organised play, strong mentality and an ability to survive and get through pressured situations. Morocco have not always looked brilliant going forward in this tournament, but the team is compact, disciplined and very uncomfortable to face.

Our Prediction - Morocco to Advance

Morocco have gained valuable experience after reaching the semi-finals at the 2022 World Cup and then "winning" the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Senegal were the actual winners, but Morocco were later awarded the title on paper). It is also worth noting that, with the match being played in Houston, Canada miss out on the true home advantage, even if there will surely be plenty of Canadians in the stands. The Moroccans are the stronger team, and with their experience we believe they will take a fairly comfortable 2-0 win here.

Paraguay - France

Saturday 23:00 CEST (17:00 local time) in Philadelphia, USA

Paraguay are certainly the big surprise of the Round of 16. Few ranked Paraguay highly before the World Cup, but after a tough start to the tournament the team have grown into it, and in the Round of 32 they produced one of the biggest upsets of the competition so far. Germany were expected to win comfortably, but it was 1-1 after both regular time and extra time, and after that Paraguay were the cooler side in the penalty shootout. Germany are not the feared machine they once were, but knocking them out in a World Cup knockout match, regardless of form and circumstances, is always an achievement. Paraguay showed above all mental strength and a defensive discipline that the Germans struggled to find a cure for.

As for France, they advanced in a far more convincing and straightforward manner. In the Round of 32 they crushed Sweden 3-0, and the scoreline could very well have been even bigger. The team had control, impressive speed on the counter and an attacking weight that Sweden could not handle. France were already the biggest favourites before the World Cup, and after their strong group stage and convincing win over Sweden, they are now even bigger favourites to win the entire tournament. Against Paraguay, France will of course be clear favourites, but Paraguay's win over Germany means the French would be wise not to underestimate their opponents.

Our Prediction - France to Advance

This is clearly the easiest Round of 16 match to predict. Paraguay's defensive display against Germany was certainly impressive, but if there is one team that does not fear a strong defence, it is France. With their speed and combination play, they always seem to eventually break down even the strongest defences, and once France score the first goal, Paraguay will have to open up in search of an equaliser. We believe France will take a steady 3-0 win here.

This is what it looks like when Brazilian players celebrate after scoring against Norway

Brazil - Norway

Sunday 22:00 CEST (16:00 local time) in East Rutherford / New York New Jersey, USA

Brazil reached the Round of 16 after a tough match against Japan in the Round of 32. Even though the winning goal came late, with Gabriel Martinelli deciding it in the 90th minute, it still felt as though the Brazilians had control of the match. The final score was 2-1, and it was a good test for a Brazil side that were given nothing for free. Japan are a tactically well-organised, intense team that are difficult to break down, but Brazil found enough edge to decide it in the end. This may not have been a statement win, but it showed that Brazil have the ability to win even when the match becomes tighter than expected.

Norway also won their Round of 32 match 2-1, and for them too the victory came late with a decisive goal near the end. The Norwegians were favourites, but Ivory Coast proved to be a tougher opponent than they may have expected, and it was only when Erling Haaland was able to force in the 2-1 goal in the 86th minute that they could relax. For Norway, reaching the Round of 16 is a major success, but not necessarily a shock given the attacking quality in the team. The group stage had already given Norway confidence, but the win over Ivory Coast was important because there is a different kind of pressure in a knockout match, something the Norwegians proved they could handle.

Our Prediction - Brazil to Advance

This is one of the hardest Round of 16 matches to predict, and it could go almost any way. Brazil are somewhat in the shadow of the biggest favourites at this World Cup, but they are still a very strong team. They also have Carlo Ancelotti as head coach, a manager with winner written all over him. Norway have a good team, no one doubts that, but it is only now that they are facing truly qualified opposition (against France, Norway played with a reserve-heavy starting eleven). We believe it will be a close match, but Brazil will somehow find a way through, either with a 1-0 win or by deciding it in extra time.

Mexico - England

Night leading into Monday 02:00 CEST (Sunday 18:00 local time) in Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico reached the Round of 16 after a solid and very impressive 2-0 win against Ecuador. Ecuador have a recognisedly strong defence that few teams manage to unlock, but Mexico found ways forward throughout the match. In fact, the winning margin could have been even greater if the Mexicans had shown a little more sharpness in front of goal. With the win over Ecuador, they not only have four straight victories at the World Cup, they have also not conceded a single goal and have scored eight going forward.

England knocked out DR Congo 2-1 and thus got the type of knockout match that both strengthens a team and raises major questions. Most people had expected a comfortable win for the English, but the Congolese proved much tougher than expected, and after their 1-0 goal in the seventh minute it felt as though they had control of the match. England struggled to create chances against a strong defence, but thanks to Harry Kane's individual brilliance they managed to turn it around and win 2-1.

Our Prediction - Mexico to Advance

Apart from a good opening match against Croatia, England have struggled to impress. Defensively they have held together well, but going forward they have been very blunt. Now they face a Mexico side with a proven strong defence, zero goals conceded, a strong attack and enormous crowd support behind them at home in Mexico City. Looking at the players on paper, England should win this match, but we still believe Mexico will take it based on form and home support. We are going for a 1-0 win to Mexico, with a goal from Julián Quiñones, who has impressed so far.

Lamine Yamal after scoring a goal for Spain

Will Lamine Yamal be the one to kill Cristiano Ronaldo's hopes of winning a World Cup?

Portugal - Spain

Monday 21:00 CEST (14:00 local time) in Arlington / Dallas, USA

Portugal secured their place in the Round of 16 by beating Croatia 2-1 in the Round of 32 in what was, to put it mildly, a dramatic match. Croatia took the lead in the 53rd minute, but in the 68th Portugal equalised through Cristiano Ronaldo from the penalty spot, a controversial penalty at that. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Portugal took a 2-1 lead, but there were still several minutes of stoppage time left and Croatia pushed hard for an equaliser. They also did find an equaliser in the thirteenth minute of stoppage time, but after a long VAR review and with the help of the motion sensor in the ball, the goal was ruled out for offside, and Portugal eventually won.

Spain advanced in a far more convincing manner by beating Austria clearly, 3-0. It was a match in which Spain had a major grip on possession throughout and never allowed the Austrians to get into the game. Austria are normally a difficult and well-organised team to beat, so the fact that Spain managed to control the entire contest so clearly is a statement of strength. They started the tournament less convincingly by only getting a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but Cape Verde proved throughout the tournament just how difficult they are to beat (we will get to more on that soon), so in hindsight that result is nothing to be ashamed of. Together with France and Mexico, Spain are one of the teams that have impressed most in this tournament so far.

Our Prediction - Spain to Advance

This is the real blockbuster of the Round of 16, as it is essentially a derby between the two neighbouring countries, and they have a long history of rivalry. Both teams have an impressive collection of players in their starting eleven, so there is every chance this will be both an intense and exciting match. However, we predict that Spain will eventually come out on top, largely based on how impressive they were in the Round of 32 and the fact that Lamine Yamal is also starting to get more and more comfortable after his earlier injury issues. We hope for a well-played match with several goals and therefore believe in a 3-1 win for Spain.

United States - Belgium

Night leading into Tuesday 02:00 CEST (Monday 17:00 local time) in Seattle, USA

The United States have impressed during this World Cup and reached the Round of 16 after a strong 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32. As a host nation, the United States have had a lot of pressure on them, but the team have handled it convincingly so far and performed at the top of their ability. The win over Bosnia and Herzegovina did come at a cost, however, as their strongest forward, Folarin Balogun, was sent off, meaning he is suspended against Belgium.

Unlike the United States, Belgium have been far from impressive so far. In the group stage, their play stuttered badly apart from the 5-1 win over New Zealand, but that came against weaker opposition. In the Round of 32 against Senegal, they were in serious trouble. Senegal had a 2-0 lead and Belgium were desperately struggling to create clear chances, and in all honesty there was not much suggesting the Belgians would make it through. In the 86th minute, they managed to pull one back through Romelu Lukaku, and three minutes later Youri Tielemans headed in the equaliser. Belgium's comeback felt as though it came from nowhere, and they took the match to extra time. It looked as though it would be decided on penalties, but in the final minute of extra time the Belgians were awarded a penalty, and Tielemans scored his second goal to send Belgium through, all of a sudden.

Our Prediction - United States to Advance

If you only look at the players on paper, Belgium should be favourites, but that is also the only thing speaking in their favour. Against qualified opposition, they have struggled to produce constructive attacking football, and their defence has not impressed either. The United States have strong momentum and also a huge home advantage. Even though Balogun is suspended, which is a major blow, we believe the Belgians will struggle to withstand the United States' fast-paced and intense play, and a 2-0 win for the United States feels logical here.

Lionel Messi, Argentina - back with number

Is Lionel Messi ready to take on Egypt in the Round of 16?

Argentina - Egypt

Tuesday 18:00 CEST (12:00 local time) in Atlanta, USA

Argentina advanced after a dramatic Round of 32 match against Cape Verde. It became far more nervous than everyone had expected, especially after Argentina had taken the expected 1-0 lead after the first half. Cape Verde equalised in the second half, and despite heavy pressure and a couple of golden chances for Messi to decide the match, it went to extra time. Once there, Argentina took the lead again, but once again Cape Verde came back with an equaliser. When Argentina made it 3-2 after an own goal in the 111th minute, Cape Verde could not recover again. It was probably a little subconscious underestimation from Argentina's side, and a sense that it would "work itself out in the end", that made it as exciting as it became, but all credit to World Cup debutants Cape Verde, who seriously pushed the reigning world champions right until the final minute.

Egypt advanced in an equally dramatic fashion. Against Australia, it was 1-1 after extra time before Egypt won on penalties. This was a historic win for Egypt, as they had never previously advanced from a knockout match at the World Cup. Their play, however, was hardly impressive, and they were a whisker away from being knocked out by a team they should, on paper, have beaten more comfortably.

Our Prediction - Argentina to Advance

Argentina are the reigning world champions and have looked solid throughout the tournament, even if things became dramatic against Cape Verde. Egypt, on the other hand, are probably the weakest team to have come this far in the tournament. Anything other than a clear win for Argentina would be a surprise, and we believe in a clear 4-1 win for Argentina here.

Switzerland - Colombia

Tuesday 22:00 CEST (13:00 local time) in Vancouver, Canada

Switzerland reached the Round of 16 after a solid 2-0 win over Algeria. It was a typical Swiss performance: controlled, well-organised and without unnecessary risks. Switzerland have for many years been a team that often go a little way into major tournaments, but this year they feel even more solid and difficult to beat. In addition to their defensive stability, they have the young Johan Manzambi in the team, a player who has made a major breakthrough in this tournament and has impressed greatly in attack with his pace and technique.

Colombia advanced after a narrow 1-0 win over Ghana. It became a more nervous match than Colombia may have wanted, especially considering that they created a series of chances to settle the game definitively, but defensively they did not allow Ghana many opportunities and therefore the win never really felt seriously threatened. Even if they have not totally dominated matches in the way France and Spain, for example, have done, they have impressed throughout the tournament and look very secure both in attack and defence.

Our Prediction - Colombia to Advance

This is clearly the hardest match of all to predict, as both teams look extremely difficult to beat. It certainly has all the ingredients for a draw, and after that it could go either way. Mostly on gut feeling, however, we predict that Colombia will advance, as Switzerland tend to struggle to go really far in tournaments, but honestly it could just as easily be the Swiss who draw the longest straw in the end. The prediction is 1-1 after full time, and somehow after that Colombia make it to the quarter-finals.