The 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially transitioned into its business end, with several highly anticipated Round of 32 matches now locked in following the conclusion of the opening group stage matches.
A historic headline fixture sees debutants Cape Verde secure a dream knockout tie against defending world champions Argentina. The Blue Sharks earned the matchup after rewriting history as the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup knockout rounds. Meanwhile, South Africa’s Bafana Bafana will square off against Canada in the opening match of the Round of 32 after sealing the runners-up spot in Group A.
A few knockout slots hang in the balance. The final round of fixtures in Groups J, K, and L will decide the remaining Round of 32 pairings and confirm which teams claim the final slots reserved for the best third-placed countries.
The schedule of the confirmed Round of 32 matches, including kickoff times and stadium locations across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is detailed below.
### Sunday, June 28
South Africa vs Canada– 8:00 PM | Los Angeles, USA (Match 73)
### Monday, June 29
Brazil vs Japan– 6:00 PM | Houston, USA (Match 76)
Germany vs Paraguay – 9:30 PM | Foxborough, USA (Match 74)
### Tuesday, June 30
Netherlands vs Morocco – 2:00 AM | Guadalupe, Mexico (Match 75)
Ivory Coast vs Norway– 6:00 PM | Arlington, USA (Match 78)
France vs Sweden– 10:00 PM | New Jersey, USA (Match 77)
### Wednesday, July 1
Mexico vs 3rd Place (Group C/E/F/H/I) – 2:00 AM | Mexico City, Mexico (Match 79)
Group L Winners vs 3rd Place (Group E/H/I/J/K)– 5:00 PM | Atlanta, USA (Match 80)
Belgium vs 3rd Place (Group A/E/H/I/J – 9:00 PM | Seattle, USA (Match 82)
Thursday, July 2
USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina – 1:00 AM | Santa Clara, USA (Match 81)
Spain vs Group J Runners-up– 8:00 PM | Los Angeles, USA (Match 84)
Friday, July 3
Group K Runners-up vs Group L Runners-up – 12:00 AM | Toronto, Canada (Match 83)
Switzerland vs 3rd Place (Group E/F/G/I/J)– 4:00 AM | Vancouver, Canada (Match 85)
Australia vs Egypt** – 7:00 PM | Arlington, USA (Match 88)
Argentina vs Cape Verde** – 11:00 PM | Miami, USA (Match 86)
Saturday, July 4
Group K Winners vs 3rd Place (Group D/E/I/J/L)** – 2:30 AM | Kansas City, USA (Match 87)
*(Note: All kickoff times are adjusted to
local tournament schedules).
