2026 World Cup round of 32 full fixtures confirmed
By Joel Masibo, June 28, 2026The lineup for the knockout phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is now complete after the last Group J fixtures wrapped up on Saturday. Austria and Algeria claimed the final available places, finalising the list of 32 nations that will battle for a spot in the last 16.
On Sunday, June 28, 2026, drama unfolded as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Algeria became the latest African teams to book their late tickets for the knockout stages of the ongoing tournament.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo secured a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32 after fighting back from behind to defeat Uzbekistan 3-1 in their final Group K encounter at Atlanta Stadium on Sunday, June 28, 2026.
The impressive comeback ensured the Leopards progressed as one of the tournament’s eight highest-ranked third-placed teams. Colombia finished top of the group, while Portugal claimed second after the two sides played out a scoreless draw. DR Congo’s qualification ended South Korea’s hopes of advancing, while Iran’s fate remained undecided.
In Group J, Algeria and Austria played out to an entertaining 3-3 draw, a result that saw both sides advance to the Round of 32.
Groups’ best
The teams advancing from each group are:
Group A: Mexico, South Africa
Group B: Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C: Brazil, Morocco
Group D: United States, Australia, Paraguay
Group E: Germany, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden
Group G: Belgium, Egypt
Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde
Group I: France, Norway, Senegal
Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria
Group K: Colombia, Portugal, DR Congo
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana
Round of 32 ties
With the group stage now concluded, the Round of 32 fixtures are confirmed as follows:
South Africa vs Canada
Brazil vs Japan
Germany vs Paraguay
Netherlands vs Morocco
Côte d’Ivoire vs Norway
France vs Sweden
Mexico vs Ecuador
England vs DR Congo
Belgium vs Senegal
United States vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Spain vs Austria
Portugal vs Croatia
Switzerland vs Algeria
Australia vs Egypt
Argentina vs Cabo Verde
Colombia vs Ghana
The knockout stage now begins, with every remaining team aiming to keep its World Cup dream alive as the competition enters its decisive phase.