2026 World Cup Knockout Round Begins with Drama

On July 1. The 2026 World Cup knockout stage continued with four intense round-of-16 matches featuring England, France, Mexico, and Norway; the matchday opened with Ivory Coast facing Norway at 00:00 Vietnam time. Analysts expect a battle between Ivory Coast’s physicality and Norway’s disciplined play — At 04:00, France, a top favorite, takes on Sweden, a team known for its strong defense. Meanwhile, Mexico and Ecuador meet in a regional rivalry at 08:00, with both teams vying for a quarter-final spot; the day concludes with England against the Democratic Republic of Congo at 11:00 PM. The English team is favored, but the DRC has impressed so far.

Earlier in the tournament. On June 27. Cape Verde faced Saudi Arabia in a major Group H match, while Cape Verde entered the game with confidence after picking up points against Spain and Uruguay in their first-ever World Cup. Despite losing key players like Sidny Lopes and Telmo Arcanjo to injury, Cape Verde still had strong contributors such as Duarte and Monteiro. Saudi Arabia. Demoralized after a 0-4 loss to Spain, relied on its two top strikers, Al-Dawsari and Al-Buraikan, to break down Cape Verde’s defense, including the 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha.

Portugal Dominates, Kolumbien Advances

On June 28. Colombia defeated Portugal 5-0 in a Group K match that helped the South Americans qualify for the knockout stage. Portugal had already lost points in its opening match against the Democratic Republic of Congo, but a late surge led by Cristiano Ronaldo helped secure a decisive win. Ronaldo, now 41, broke Portugal’s World Cup goal record with 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio’s previous mark of nine, though Meanwhile, Colombia, led by Daniel Muñoz and James Rodríguez, showcased a strong attack. Rodríguez created five scoring chances in the match,matching a record set by Carlos Valderrama in 1998.

Colombia’s performance highlighted the unpredictable nature of the tournament. The team has now secured a place in the knockout stage and aims to maintain its group lead, provided it avoids defeat against Portugal.

Switzerland and Algeria Set for Achtelfinal Showdown

On July 3, Switzerland will face Algeria in an Achtelfinal match at 10:00 Vietnam time. Switzerland qualified as Group B’s top seed with seven points and a strong goal difference of +4. The team, coached by Murat Yakin, improved significantly from the 2022 World Cup and has a chance to reach the quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive tournament. Algeria, on the other hand, qualified in third place due to a worse goal difference after earning four points in Group J.

Algeria’s journey to the knockout stage was anything but smooth. Their 3-3 draw with Austria on June 28 recalled the infamous “Schrecken von Gijón” match in 1982. This time, however, Algeria managed to qualify and will now face Switzerland, a team they lost to in the 2014 World Cup. Algeria’s coach, Wladimir Petkowić, has lost only once in his last seven matches—a 0-3 defeat to Argentina on June 17. This encounter promises to be another dramatic moment in the 2026 World Cup.

Other notable results include Germany and the Netherlands both being eliminated by underdogs Paraguay and Morocco, respectively, in penalty shootouts. Canada also made history by defeating South Africa in a tightly contested match that ended 1-0 in extra time. These outcomes show the unpredictability of the knockout stage, where even the smallest tactical mistake or penalty miss can determine a team’s fate.