World Cup 2026

FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-match ban on United States striker Folarin Balogun, allowing the team’s leading goal scorer to play in their crucial last-16 World Cup match against Belgium, has stirred a controversy hours ahead of the USA vs Belgium last-16 match.

The row and ensuing uproar deepend on Monday when US President Donald Trump confirmed asking FIFA to review its decision against Balogun, with FIFA utlimately making a U-turn on the player’s suspension from the crucial fixture.

Was FIFA’s decision the result of an unfair power move from President Trump, or was it a warranted correction to a red card that should not have been issued in the first place?

It depends on who you ask.

Football fans of the cohost nation appear to be divided on the controversy.

While there is near consensus that the red card Balogun received against Bosnia and Herzegovina was harsh, not everyone agrees with Trump’s intervention.

“I think it’s bull****,” Cesar Espino, who was watching the Spain vs Portugal round-of-16 match at a pub near downtown Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera hours ahead of kickoff in the USA-Belgium game.

“I feel like if you win it’s a stain because Balogun is one of our top players.”

He added that the decision will make the USA “more unlikeable”, adding to the list of controversies for the host nation, including travel bans and the restrictions against the Iranian team during the group stage.

But 23-year-old Oscar Ramirez argued that the issue is more nuanced than the USA gaining an unfair advantage “because of the nature of the red card”.

“I think most people, including myself, believe the red card was unfair; it was unjust,” Ramirez said.

“I think you’ll have some people who will be like, we should keep the rules no matter what. And you’ll have some people who will be like, that card shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

The USA fan admitted jokingly that he is biased, so he supports the decision.

“I’m American, and I want our best chances. And without him, we don’t have a good chance,” Ramirez  said.

FIFA responds

Balogun, the USA’s top scorer in the tournament with three goals, received the red card for a studs-up contact near the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic.

The USA striker was looking at the ball, so the incident appeared unintentional. Nonetheless, Balogun was sent off after an onfield VAR review, triggering an at least one-match suspension.

A FIFA board subsequently suspended the penalty without providing an explanation.

Trump, who enjoys close relations with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, confirmed on Monday that he requested a review of the suspension.

“All I did – I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said.

He also suggested that the US conducted research on the referee who issued the card, calling the official “very suspect”.

“If you like I can provide you with the past,” he told reporters.

FIFA has insisted that the decision was taken by a judicial panel that operates independently with Infantino denying that his conversation with Trump may have influenced the process.

“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,” the FIFA president said in a statement.

“That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”

Despite that assertion, US Senator Ted Cruz thanked Trump earlier for “getting rid of that ridiculous red card”.

The controversy has infuriated Belgian football officials. But in the US, some politicians and commentators lauded Trump for his intervention.

“I admit that I’m not the biggest soccer fan, but I’m glad President Trump urged FIFA to do the right thing. Good for President Trump, good for Folarin Balogun, good for the USA,” Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote on X.

For his part, Fox Sport analyst Alexi Lalas said lifting Balogun’s suspension was surprising but welcome news.

“What happened here is America stood up for itself,” Lalas, a former USA player, told Fox News.

“The powers that be when it comes to the United States Soccer Federation did what they needed to do within the rules and regulations that exist in order to give ourselves the best possible chance of being successful.”

Mamdani invokes Mourinho

But CBS Sports commentator  Nico Cantor said the episode set a “dangerous precedent” that undermines the authority of the referees making decisions based on their interpretations of the rules.

“For as much as I believe Balogun didn’t deserve the red, it’s an interpretable decision,” he wrote on X.

“Anything can now be questioned after the fact. And it’s up to FIFA’s ‘judicial body’ – whoever that is, wherever they are – to call make critical decisions as they see fit.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had also called the red card “cruel”, but he refused to comment on FIFA’s decision to suspend the suspension.

Instead, he posted a GIF of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho saying, “I prefer not to speak. If I speak – big trouble.”

Back in Washington, DC, US fan Lucas Faria said it was “crazy” that the suspension was overturned, but he added that the decision is unlikely to derail trust in the World Cup because it is already loaded with controversy.

Faria told Al Jazeera that the tournament has been a Trump-Infantino show.

“The tickets have been outrageous. It’s been an outrageous tournament so far. This is just an obvious thing,” he said.

Faria added, however, that the US team should not be judged for FIFA’s decisions.

“It’s not on them,” he told Al Jazeera.

The Belgian football federation has vowed “to challenge” FIFA’s controversial reversal of a red card game suspension against Folarin Balogun, which allows the star USA player to take the field in the round of 16 World Cup match against Belgium.

The statement on Monday from the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) came hours before the match was set to begin, and as US President Donald Trump defended directly reaching out to FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino ahead of the controversial decision.

The federation charged that FIFA did not follow the proper protocol in allowing an appeal of its lifting of Balogun’s game suspension, the result of a red card shown during the round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The RBFA said, given FIFA’s conduct, the federation “has no alternative but to challenge [Balogun’s] eligibility for the upcoming match”. It was not immediately clear how such a challenge would proceed.

“Regardless of the sporting outcome of this match, the RBFA is deeply concerned by the course of events and will continue to fight in the coming hours, days and months in defence of the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition, and the interests of football as a whole,” the federation said.

Trump says he asked Infantino to ‘review’ the decision

The decision to lift Balogun’s one-game suspension came shortly after Trump spoke directly to Infantino.

That has raised eyebrows and accusations of political meddling in the tournament, with critics noting it is exceedingly rare for FIFA to lift a game suspension during the World Cup, even when a referee makes a questionable call.

If Balogun is allowed to play, it would be the first time since 1962 that a red card issued at the World Cup did not result in a suspension.

FIFA has said it relied on Article 27 of its disciplinary committee rules to reverse the game ban. The provision states “the judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure”.

FIFA had earlier said the game ban could not be appealed by Team USA.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump denied that he directly influenced FIFA’s decision.

“All ⁠I did, I asked for a review, ⁠because I didn’t ⁠think it ⁠was a foul,” Trump told reporters.

“I thought it was two great athletes that crashed [into] each other and got entangled.”

He further called football referee Raphael Claus “very suspect”. He added, “If you want, I’ll provide you with the past”, without providing further details.

Later on Monday, Infantino also released his version of the call, which he said was among many he regularly receives from “heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues”.

Infantino maintained he was not involved in the decision on Balogun’s suspension and was only made aware after it was released.

“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,” he said.

‘Keep politics out’

To be sure, several leading football pundits have questioned the decision by Claus to show Balogun the red card.

Many have argued that Balogun incidentally stepped on the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic during an otherwise legitimate challenge, and the contact did not warrant the potentially tournament-transforming penalty.

Nevertheless, the unusual series of events is likely to cast a further pall of politics over the games ahead, adding to criticism of the Trump administration’s treatment of Iran’s national team.

Observers have said the optics of Trump’s intervention could taint any future success of the USA team, which has far exceeded expectations under head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

“This is embarrassing to a wonderful US team and a wonderful player,” Shibley Telhami, a professor of peace and development at the University of Maryland, wrote on X following FIFA’s decision.

“Keep politics out. This US team is good enough to win honourably. Now, a win will be diminished.”

Four wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.

Who: Argentina vs Egypt
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16
Where: Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, the United States
When: Tuesday, July 7, at 12pm (16:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 12:30 GMT before our live text commentary stream.

Get ready for a spicy battle of the number 10s – a dazzling duel between Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah, two of the greatest forwards in world football, as Argentina face Egypt in the World Cup round of 16.

Argentina have been the clear favourites in every game they’ve played at the tournament, but after being made to work for victory in the last tie, the presumption that the reigning champions are unbeatable has been broken.

Egypt, on the other hand, are on a historic run of their own, gearing up to chase a first-ever quarterfinal berth. One of only two African sides remaining at the tournament, they carry the hopes of the continent and have gone toe-to-toe with the world’s best.

Al Jazeera tells you everything about Argentina vs Egypt:

How did Argentina and Egypt reach the round of 16?

Argentina topped Group J with a perfect record of nine points, winning against Austria, Algeria and Jordan. In the round of 32, they were pushed to extra time by a resilient Cape Verde team before edging past the tournament debutants 3-2 in a thrilling contest.

Egypt came second in Group G with five points, drawing with Belgium and Iran and winning against New Zealand. They defeated Australia 4-2 on penalties in the round of 32 after the game was tied 1-1 following extra time. It marked the first-ever World Cup knockout for Egypt, who made their tournament debut in 1934.

More World Cup history beckons for Messi

This tournament’s Golden Boot race is one for the ages.

Argentina legend Messi, France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland are all tied at seven goals, with Mbappe leading the list, his two assists breaking the tie.

If Messi – who has scored in each of Argentina’s four games so far – finds the net against Egypt, not only will he become the Golden Boot leader, but he will also join Guillermo Stabile (1930) as the only Argentina player to score eight goals in a single World Cup.

But ahead of Tuesday’s last-16 tie, there have been concerns about fatigue, and it’s not just limited to Messi.

Argentina were forced to play extra time by Cape Verde in the heat in Miami in the US on Friday, while Egypt-Australia went all the way to penalties on the same day. Those gruelling knockout games left both teams with little time for rest and recovery.

Messi admitted after the last match that he was tired, and he lamented Argentina’s inability to press their opponents high up the pitch.

Meanwhile, Egypt relied heavily on their defensive organisation and looked to Salah and Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush to launch counterattacks against ⁠Australia, an approach they could employ again against Argentina.

For Egypt, a fully fit Salah could be crucial after the attacking winger entered the Australia match with a hamstring concern and at times appeared reluctant to sprint at full speed during a draining 120-minute ‌contest.

If Egypt stun Argentina, they will become the fifth African nation to reach the World Cup quarterfinals after Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002), Ghana (2010) and Morocco (2022 and 2026).

Argentina vs Egypt prediction

The Opta supercomputer gives Argentina a 69.1 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Egypt’s chances of winning are 12.3 percent.

The model estimates a 18.5 percent probability of the game going to extra time.

Argentina vs Egypt: Kickoff, TV schedule

• Argentina: TyC Sports, TyC Sports Play (1pm, Argentina Standard Time)
• Egypt: beIN Sports (7pm, Egypt Standard Time)
• US: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (noon, Eastern Daylight Time)
• United Kingdom: BBC One, BBC iPlayer (5pm, British Summer Time)

To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

Who will the winner face in the quarterfinals?

The winner of the Argentina vs Egypt match will play either Switzerland or Colombia in the quarterfinals in Kansas City in the US on Saturday, July 11.

Argentina vs Egypt: Head-to-head

This will be the first World Cup match between Argentina and Egypt.

Their last meeting was a friendly in Cairo in 2008, which Argentina won 2-0.

Argentina are on an eight-game winning run against African nations at the World Cup, with two of those coming in this edition (3-0 vs Algeria, 3-2 vs Cape Verde). No side in the competition’s history has won three games against African opponents in a single edition before.

Argentina vs Egypt: Team news

Argentina’s Gonzalez (ankle injury) and Medina (physical discomfort) are doubtful, while Egypt’s Fatouh (muscle) and El Fotouh (hamstring) are out injured.

Argentina’s predicted lineup

(4-4-2): E Martinez (goalkeeper); Molina, Romero, L Martinez, Tagliafico; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernandez, Almada; Messi, Lautaro

Egypt’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Shobeir (goalkeeper); Hany, Ibrahim, Rabia, Hafez; Fathy, Ateya; Ashour, Salah, Marmoush; Zico

For some Egyptian football fans, watching Mohamed Salah qualify with Egypt for two World Cups in 2018 and 2026 will never make up for the fact that the “golden generation” did not get their shot in 2006, 2010 or 2014.

“It is unfair to compare the two generations,” Ahmed Elshiekh, a former national team player who now covers the World Cup for Modern MTI TV, told Al Jazeera.

“The golden generation did everything but get to the World Cup. They beat Italy [when they were World Cup champions]. The draw in qualification was just unkind to them.”

Salah is the captain and leader of the current generation. He won every trophy on offer while playing for Liverpool in a glittering nine-year career that saw him become the highest scoring foreigner in the history of the English Premier League.

Given his status, it is perhaps no surprise that Salah shouldered the blame for an AFCON drought that stretches back to 2010. His achievement in dragging Egypt to the 2018 World Cup in Russia is brushed aside due to the fact that Egypt was the first team to be eliminated. A half-fit Salah, who had dislocated his shoulder in the UEFA Champions League final, scored twice, but Egypt lost all three matches, including to Saudi Arabia.

The failures were compounded when Egypt lost the 2021 AFCON final to Senegal on penalty kicks. Thirteen months later, Egypt met Senegal in a World Cup playoff and once again lost on penalty kicks. In the first shootout, Salah was designated as the fifth taker but never got a chance to take his penalty. For the second shootout, perhaps realising his mistake, he went first and missed.

Salah might have been one of the best players in the Premier League, but Egypt fans were frustrated. To soothe their pain, they hung on to the memories of a team that was crowned African champions in 2006, 2008 and 2010 – successes that were spearheaded by the legendary midfielder Mohamed Aboutrika, who is equally famous for his “Sympathise with Gaza” T-shirt as he is for his immaculate first touch.

The despondence was so deep that fans had lost hope for their national team. AFCON 2023 was blighted by an injury to Salah, who elected to return to Liverpool for rehabilitation but promised to return should the team advance to the final. Egypt’s tournament ended shortly after that statement, courtesy of a penalty shootout defeat in the round of 16.

Working at that time as an analyst for Egyptian TV, now-Egypt manager Hossam Hassan said that if Salah had done that on his watch, he would “never pick him for the national team again”.

A couple of weeks later, Hassan was appointed to lead the national team after Rui Vitoria’s dismissal.

It was widely speculated that the only reason the Egyptian Football Association hired Hassan was because the currency crisis had prevented them from attracting a foreign manager.

“Hossam Hassan as a player has achieved everything you can imagine,” Elsheikh said, referencing the former striker’s record 69 goals for Egypt and three AFCON titles.

“But as a manager, we saw what he can produce, and the results were not great. … Also he brought problems and created crises.”

The crises Elsheikh referred to have been a hallmark of Hassan’s journeyman coaching career marked by brawls and altercations with fans.

But the appointment proved to be a stroke of unintended genius.

Salah finds form under Hassan

Instead of falling out with Salah, he and Hassan became joined at the hip. If there was anyone who could understand the pressure of Salah’s position, it was Hassan, who had lived it all before but with the added pressure of having played mostly in Egypt and having crossed the Cairo divide when he left Al Ahly to sign with bitter rivals Zamalek.

“Hassan does have a captain’s personality and is very energetic. He might not be the strongest tactically, but he does provide a solid defensive base” Elsheikh said.

Salah has enjoyed a rich vein of form under Hassan’s tutelage. Egypt qualified for the 2026 World Cup undefeated, winning eight out of their 10 matches. The team also reached the semifinals of the 2025 AFCON tournament – not that the achievement silenced any of the doubters.

Of course, it’s not all about Salah. Egypt have a raft of talented players, including Man City’s Omar Marmoush and Al Ahly’s Emam Ashour.

Their undefeated team is going into the round of 16 to face defending champions Argentina on Tuesday. Egypt have overcome a great deal of adversity to reach this stage of the tournament as well.

A second-half comeback against New Zealand in the group stage was needed to secure the nation’s first win at a World Cup. Salah exited the final group game against Iran with a hamstring injury but played all 120 minutes of the penalty shootout win over Australia in the last 32. The 34-year-old converted his kick with a Panenka against Socceroos goalkeeper Mat Ryan.

In the aftermath of that victory, Aboutrika, now an analyst for beIN Sports, did his best to pass the baton to the new generation.

Goalscorer Ashour had expressed his joy at being compared to Aboutrika, saying his ambition was to be “as half as good or even a quarter as good as him”.

Later on in the studio, Aboutrika responded by saying: “You are better than [me]. You’ve scored two goals in a World Cup,” and insisting that this was the biggest night in the history of Egyptian football.

Not everyone is so convinced.

“This Egypt team is better than any we have seen in years yet is still remarkably fragile,” opined Karim Zidan, a writer focused on the intersection of sports, power and politics.

Salah, meanwhile, was once again asked who was the greatest Egyptian player of all time and again deferred to Aboutrika, saying “there is absolutely no discussion.”

Four wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.

Who: Portugal vs Spain
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16
Where: Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, the United States
When: Monday, July 6, at 2pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream.

A clash of generations awaits on Monday as ageing football star Cristiano Ronaldo goes up against teen prodigy Lamine Yamal in the World Cup round of 16 match between Portugal and Spain.

The “Iberian derby” marks a rematch of last year’s UEFA Nations League final, which Portugal won by beating European champions Spain on penalties.

Yet, it is not Portugal who are the favourites for this meeting in Dallas. After squeezing their way into the last-16 and a tumultuous run in the group stage, Ronaldo and his side face an uphill task to outshine Spain’s new golden generation.

Since a shock goalless draw in the opening game, Spain have grown into the tournament, and their slick playmaking coupled with solid defence makes them frontrunners to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 16 years.

Al Jazeera tells you everything about Portugal vs Spain, a battle of the two pre-tournament favourites:

How did Portugal and Spain reach the round of 16?

Portugal came second in Group J with five points, thrashing Uzbekistan and being held to draws by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Colombia. In the round of 32, they controversially scraped past Croatia, bouncing back from a goal down to win 2-1.

Spain topped Group H with seven points, beating Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, and being held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde. In the round of 32, they stormed past Austria 3-0. La Roja are unbeaten in their last 34 matches (W25 D9), one shy of equalling their longest-ever unbeaten run of 35 set between February 2007 and June 2009.

Ronaldo’s last dance?

At age 41, fading forward Ronaldo is still Portugal’s most influential player, not because of his prowess on the pitch but his larger-than-life status off of it. Though he still demands attention in a supremely talented team while contributing less on the pitch, it is safe to say Ronaldo’s once explosive powers are in decline.

Heading into the tournament, there was always speculation about his future, with the 2026 World Cup possibly his last. While Ronaldo – the second-oldest player at the tournament – has fended off questions about what’s next, his sister said he would retire from national duty at the end of the World Cup.

That makes each one of Portugal’s knockout games more intense – if they lose, it could bring down the curtain on Ronaldo’s international career.

From club to country, Ronaldo has won several trophies in a decorated career over the years, but if Portugal fall to Spain, his glittering collection will remain incomplete without the shiny, golden World Cup trophy.

‘World Cup starts now’: Yamal

After a hamstring injury threatened to derail Yamal’s debut World Cup campaign, the 18-year-old winger has stepped up and is slowly stealing the spotlight in North America.

A man-of-the-match performance in Spain’s first tournament knockout win over Austria highlighted the talented youngster’s impact, two years on from his dazzling display that helped Spain win Euro 2024.

“I want to advance through the rounds and win with Spain,” said Yamal. “We aren’t afraid of any team. We are Spain.”

“The World Cup starts now.”

Yamal has bagged one goal so far, while Mikel Oyarzabal leads the team’s scoring chart with four. Spain ‌are ‌unbeaten in 34 matches and chasing their second World Cup title, 16 years after their first in South Africa in 2010.

Portugal vs Spain prediction

The Opta supercomputer gives Spain a 49.2 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Portugal’s chances of winning are 25.6 percent.

The model estimates a 25.2 percent probability of the game going to extra time.

Portugal vs Spain: Kickoff time, TV channels

• Portugal: RTP1, SPORT.TV5, LiveModeTV, RTP Play  (8pm, Western European Summer Time)
• Spain:  (9pm, Central European Summer Time)
• United Kingdom: BBC One, BBC iPlayer (8pm, British Summer Time)
• United States: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (3pm, Eastern Daylight Time)

To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

Who will the winner face in the quarterfinals?

The winner of the Portugal vs Spain match will face either the USA or Belgium in the quarterfinals in Los Angeles in the US on Friday, July 10.

Portugal vs Spain: Head-to-head

There has been little to separate Portugal and Spain across their five previous meetings at major tournaments, with each side winning once and the remaining three matches ending in draws.

That includes their most recent World Cup meeting, a 3-3 draw in 2018, in which Ronaldo scored a hat-trick.

In the all-time head-to-head, the teams have played 41 times, with Spain winning 18 times, Portugal seven times, and the sides playing out 16 draws.

Portugal will take confidence from having defeated Spain, albeit in a shootout, in their most recent meeting in the UEFA Nations League final in June 2025.

Portugal vs Spain: Team news

Spain’s Nico Williams is out with a hamstring injury. No issues are reported in the Portugal camp.

Portugal’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Costa (goalkeeper); Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha; Neto, Fernandes, Leao; Ronaldo

Spain’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Simon (goalkeeper); Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal

With his quiet brilliance, incredible goal-scoring ability and sly smile, Norway’s Erling Haaland has etched his name in history yet again.

“It is one of the most insane days in Norwegian history,” Haaland, arguably the country’s greatest footballer, said moments after leading Norway into the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup.

The 25-year-old’s late brace dumped record five-time champions Brazil out of the tournament and sent his team into the last eight for the first time in history.

It is widely believed that on his towering frame, broad shoulders and inherent knack for scoring goals, Haaland knows how to carry Norway when it matters most.

After being a non-factor for much of the afternoon and having limited touches on the ball, Haaland spoke at the second-half hydration break with coach Stale Solbakken, who told him to drain his energy and go for it.

Solbakken’s wish was Haaland’s command as he headed in the first goal of the match in the 79th minute and scored again before the end of regulation time.

He sits comfortably at the top of the goal-scorers’ list for his country with 62 to his name in 54 appearances, at an impressive rate of 1.15 goals per game. The long-haired forward is often called “the smiling assassin” in a nod to the pairing of his skilful finishing and cool demeanour.

Haaland’s scoring streak for Norway has now reached 27 goals in 14 games, and despite being crowned man of the match, a humble Haaland relegated the team’s heroics to goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.

“For me, he’s my man of the match, even though I scored the goals. He prevented so many goals that would have probably sent us back home,” Haaland told reporters after the win.

“He’s the reason why we’re going to be playing the quarterfinal for the first time in our history – much respect to him.”

In the shadows of Messi, Mbappe and Ronaldo

The Manchester City striker has gone level with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot with seven goals apiece so far, but came from behind to join the footballing giants in lifting his country at the biggest stage.

Pre-tournament headlines were dominated by what Messi could do, what Cristiano Ronaldo might do, and what Mbappe was expected to do.

Haaland’s biggest triumph was leading Norway back to the World Cup after nearly three decades, and the Viking hero has stormed through the tournament with sheer force and masterful skill to write his own storyline.

The 195cm (6ft 5-inch) tall striker’s rise to the upper echelons of the sport has been marked by humility, self-belief and single-mindedness.

“I have peaked a few times during this tournament, but every time, there is a new peak,” Haaland said after the victory against Brazil.

“If I receive one or two chances, they usually end up in a goal. I don’t really know what I do; this is just the way I am. It’s all about staying focused, and when the chance comes, I know exactly what to do.”

‘This night will be remembered forever’

The gravity of the moment was not lost on Haaland after his side shocked Brazil and sent Neymar into international retirement.

“Scoring twice against Brazil is something I will treasure forever, but those goals don’t belong to me alone,” Haaland said in a post-match interview.

“They belong to every teammate who sacrificed everything, every coach who believed in us, every supporter who stood by us through the difficult years, and every child in Norway who now believes that anything is possible.

“This is a night that will be remembered forever in every Norwegian home. We didn’t just beat Brazil, we gave our nation a memory that will live on for generations,” Haaland said after admitting that the win brought tears to his eyes.

“No matter what happens next, nobody can ever take this feeling, these tears, or this piece of history away from us.”

While his counterparts entered the World Cup as global household names, Haaland was a social media sensation, known for his witty Snapchat stories and Instagram content, which made him a more relatable, playful, almost goofy icon that broke away from the traditional path to stardom.

In true Haaland fashion – and, as the memes rightfully predicted – the Norwegian star posted a cheeky photo straight from the locker room with his jersey scrunched around his neck that racked up millions of likes within hours.

‘Defenders hate playing against him’

When asked if Haaland’s strength and speed make him a dangerous player, Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti argued that it is actually his timing.

“He doesn’t waste energy chasing every ball or wrestling defenders for 90 minutes. He studies them, he waits, he understands exactly when a defender loses concentration.

“Then, in one second, he’s gone,” Ancelotti said in a post-match interview. “You can defend perfectly against him for 89 minutes, but football is decided by moments, and [Haaland] is probably the best in the world at recognising those moments.

“That’s why defenders hate playing against him. You think you’ve controlled him all game, and suddenly, he’s celebrating another goal.”

What’s next for the Vikings?

Haaland and co are up against Harry Kane’s side after England snuck past cohosts Mexico into the quarterfinals with a 3-2 win at Estadio Azteca.

As Norway take on England on Saturday, Haaland will have yet another chance to shine for his country and rewrite history.

But for now, the moment is his.

“Everyone just needs to enjoy themselves,” he told his countrymen across the Atlantic as he literally helmed the now-famous Viking row boat on the pitch in celebration.

“This is just an insane day. Like I said, it’s one of the most insane days in Norwegian history. Just enjoy it. Embrace it and enjoy the moment.”

The FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals lineup as it builds, with match kickoff times and locations.

As the biggest FIFA World Cup in history enters its fourth week, fewer than half of the 48 teams that kicked off the tournament remain in contention to win the title in North America.

The quarterfinals are now under way, with four of the last eight teams confirmed on the second day of action in the round of 16.

Some nations confirmed for the third stage of the knockouts recorded comfortable victories, while others had late scares but pulled through.

Here’s what you need to know about the World Cup’s quarterfinal stage:

Which teams are in the quarterfinals so far?

• Morocco
• France
• Norway
• England

What’s the schedule of the remaining round-of-16 matches?

• Portugal vs Spain on Monday, July 6, at 2pm (19:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, United States
• USA vs Belgium on Monday, July 6, at 5pm (00:00 GMT, Tuesday) – Seattle Stadium, US
• Switzerland vs Colombia on Tuesday, July 7, at 1pm (20:00 GMT) – BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, Canada
• Argentina vs Egypt on Tuesday, July 7, at 12pm (16:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, US

What’s the full match schedule for the World Cup quarterfinals?

• France vs Morocco on Thursday, July 9, at 4pm (20:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, US
• USA/Belgium vs Portugal/Spain on Friday, July 10, at 12pm (19:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, US
• Norway vs England on Saturday, July 11, at 5pm (19:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, US
• Argentina/Egypt vs Switzerland/Colombia on Sunday, July 12, at 8pm (01:00 GMT, Monday) – Kansas City Stadium, US

Where can you watch the World Cup games?

Fans in the US can watch every match in English on Fox and FS1, with all 104 games also available to stream on Fox One and the Fox Sports app.

Spanish-language coverage in the US is available on Telemundo and Universo, with streaming through Peacock. Cord-cutters can also watch via services that carry Fox and FS1, including Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and DirecTV.

In Canada, TSN is the primary English-language broadcaster, with selected matches also shown on CTV. French-language viewers can follow the action on RDS and RDS2.

Belgium’s football federation (RBFA) says it is “astonished” by FIFA’s controversial decision to suspend the one-match red card ban on USA striker Folarin Balogun and is “investigating all potential options” to uphold integrity in the sport.

The World Cup was plunged into uproar on Sunday after FIFA suspended a red card given to Balogun ahead of the host nation’s clash with Belgium, in a bombshell move welcomed by US President Donald Trump but slammed by Belgian officials.

The extraordinary FIFA ruling means that Balogun is now free to play for the USA against Belgium on Monday in Seattle, with a place in the quarterfinals at stake.

The Royal Belgian Football Association said it is “investigating all potential options” to “safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport”.

“I didn’t know that at the FIFA World Cup, the 5th of July is now the 1st of April, and that it’s April Fool’s Day,” added Belgium coach Rudi Garcia at a news conference.

“A lot of our thoughts and opinions are in the release,” Garcia said.

“We’re not defending the national team or the federation, we are defending football.”

Balogun had been set to miss Monday’s last-16 knockout clash with the Belgians after receiving a straight red card following a video review for stepping on the foot of a Bosnian defender in a round-of-32 clash that the US won 2-0.

Under FIFA rules, a straight red card automatically triggers a one-game ban, which cannot be appealed by the player’s team.

But FIFA said on Sunday that the ban will now be suspended for a year, in a stunning move for which no specific explanation was offered.

It is the first instance of a red-carded player being allowed to play in his team’s subsequent match since the introduction of the yellow and red card rules at the 1970 edition of the World Cup.

‘We are not the bad men’

Top scorer Balogun has been key to the USA’s progress in the tournament, netting three times, and his absence against Belgium would have been a blow to the team in Seattle.

The stakes are huge for the cohosts, whose strong start to the tournament has raised expectations to fever-pitch levels among the American public, and they are targeting a run to at least the quarterfinals. The last time the USA reached the quarters was in 2002.

Balogun himself had said on Friday that the red card ban was “something I have to just accept”.

However, the 25-year-old celebrated FIFA’s U-turn with an Instagram post of himself in the US team jersey and Michael Jackson’s Bad attached as the audio.

USA players and officials welcomed the news, which they received on their way to training on Sunday morning.

“I think a lot of us thought it was AI at first,” defender Chris Richards said. “I think we were really excited because we found out through social media; it was cool. It was a lot of question marks, but just very, very happy and excited overall.”

“It feels right,” forward Christian Pulisic added. “Really excited for him to have this opportunity. To see the smile on his face and to be able to give us a boost tomorrow is great.”

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino said that “it’s a fair decision because it should have never been a red card”, calling the punishment “too big” for an unintentional foul.

“It’s not that we are victims, but we are not the bad men, the mean ones here,” he said.

FIFA decision ‘a bit of a surprise’

In its statement, FIFA pointed to “article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code”, which allows the suspension to be “suspended for a probationary period of one year”.

Balogun would serve the ban only if he commits another similar foul in the next year, it said.

There is some precedent for the decision.

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo earned a three-game ban for an elbow during qualifying last year, but had two matches of his ban suspended.

The move, which allowed Ronaldo to play in Portugal’s World Cup opener, drew criticism at the time.

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said it was “a bit of a surprise” that Balogun was cleared to play just a day before the match.

“Had it been done earlier, we’d have been able to be mentally more prepared, perhaps,” he said.

FIFA’s decision has stirred up a social media storm, with mixed reactions to the suspension.

DR Congo footballer Yannick Bolasie expressed his dismay at the decision by saying the reaction to FIFA’s U-turn would have been quite different had it been taken in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Cape Verde’s football team is getting a hero’s welcome on its return home after a historic World Cup run, in which it became the smallest nation by population ever to reach the tournament’s knockout rounds.

The FIFA World Cup round of 16 on Sunday has two heavyweight ties as Brazil face Norway in New Jersey before cohosts Mexico take on England in Mexico City.

Here’s the full schedule, Opta’s predictions and the latest news from the tournament, including Morocco’s march into the quarterfinals and France’s fiery win over Paraguay.

What is Sunday’s schedule?

• Brazil vs Norway: 4pm (20:00 GMT) at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States
• Mexico vs England: 6pm (00:00 GMT into Monday) at Mexico City Stadium

What are the predictions for Brazil vs Norway?

Brazil will be hoping to end an unwanted trend when they face Norway in the round of 16.

The teams have met four times previously in all competitions, and Norway have yet to lose the fixture. The Scandinavians have won twice and drawn twice, including a memorable 2-1 victory over Brazil at the 1998 World Cup.

Despite those historical trends, the Opta supercomputer calculates Brazil as the clear favourites. After running 25,000 pre-match simulations, Brazil won in regulation time in 53.6 percent of the outcomes.

Norway claimed victory within 90 minutes in 22.4 percent of the simulations while 24 percent ended level after normal time, sending the tie to extra time and potentially penalties.

What are the predictions for Mexico vs England?

England and Mexico have crossed paths only once before at the World Cup, and that meeting dates back nearly 60 years.

The encounter came during the group stage of the 1966 tournament when tournament hosts England secured a 2-0 victory, thanks to goals from Bobby Charlton and Roger Hunt. The Three Lions went on to lift the trophy that summer, claiming the only World Cup title in their history.

England have also enjoyed the upper hand in the fixture outside the World Cup, winning each of their last four meetings with Mexico. Those victories all came in international friendlies played from 1986 to 2010.

Opta’s supercomputer predicted one of the closest contests of the round of 16 with neither side holding a decisive advantage.

England enter the tie with a favourable historical record against Mexico, but El Tri’s home support and familiarity with the conditions help narrow the gap.

Across 25,000 simulations, England won in normal time 40.6 percent of the time, while Mexico did so in 31.5 percent. A further 27.9 percent of simulations ended level after 90 minutes, meaning the match would require extra time and possibly a penalty shootout.

Remaining round of 16 schedule:

• Brazil vs Norway: Sunday, New York New Jersey Stadium, 20:00 GMT
• Mexico vs England: Sunday, Mexico City Stadium, 00:00 GMT going into Monday
• Portugal vs Spain: Monday, Dallas Stadium, 19:00 GMT
• USA vs Belgium: Monday, Seattle Stadium, 00:00 GMT going into Tuesday
• Argentina vs Egypt: Tuesday, Atlanta Stadium, 16:00 GMT
• Switzerland vs Colombia: Tuesday, BC Place Vancouver, 20:00 GMT

What else is happening?

Morocco’s historic quarterfinal run

Morocco reached the World Cup quarterfinals for a second consecutive tournament after defeating cohosts Canada 3-0 on Saturday with Azzedine Ounahi scoring twice to end the North Americans’ historic run.

The final score did not reflect the balance of the game. Canada controlled much of the first half, creating several promising chances while keeping Morocco from registering their first shot until the 28th minute.

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi was visibly frustrated on the touchline before the break as misplaced passes and sloppy errors disrupted his side’s rhythm, but the team responded with a much-improved display after half-time.

“It’s a World Cup match, and these are difficult games with teams playing for their lives,” Ouahbi said. “We reacted very well in the second half, especially in the duels and in winning the second balls.

Was Paraguay’s play ‘dirty’?

France captain Kylian Mbappe insisted his side were prepared to match Paraguay’s physical approach after securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory on Saturday to reach the World Cup quarterfinals.

Mbappe, who converted the decisive penalty in the 70th minute after Desire Doue was fouled in the area, dismissed the suggestion that France were unsettled by Paraguay’s aggressive tactics.

“They thought we’d come out in tuxedos, trying fancy tricks and one-twos,” Mbappe said. “But we know how to play dirty football too. If that’s what the game requires, we have no problem doing it.”

The winning penalty was awarded only after a VAR review with France coach Didier Deschamps questioning referee Ilgiz Tantashev’s handling of the increasingly physical contest.

“We received three yellow cards while they kept fouling us throughout the game,” Deschamps said. “Every team is entitled to play in its own way, but I could have done without some of the insults from the opposition.”

Mexico’s fortress awaits England

Mexico will look to end a 40-year wait to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals when they face England on Sunday, backed by one of international football’s strongest home records.

The cohosts have lost only two official matches at Mexico City Stadium since it opened in 1966 with the last defeat coming against Honduras in a World Cup qualifier in 2013.

Former Mexico striker Hugo Sanchez believes the stadium could once again make the difference.

“The stadium is a monster; that explains the high number of wins and draws and the few losses, which were just accidents. We approach this with optimism because we know it’s England, but if we play the way we did against Ecuador, we can beat them.”

Mexico’s World Cup record at the stadium reflects that dominance. Across the 1970, 1986 and 2026 tournaments, El Tri have played 10 World Cup matches there, winning eight and drawing two. In this year’s tournament, they have beaten South Africa, Czechia and Ecuador in Mexico City without conceding a goal while also defeating South Korea in Guadalajara.

Egypt and Morocco fans celebrated their World Cup success by singing ‘My Blood is Palestinian’ at a Dallas fan zone, in a show of Arab solidarity with Palestinians.

Four wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.

Who: Brazil vs Norway
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16
Where: New York New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US
When: Sunday, July 5, at 4pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream.

Two of the world’s most exciting forwards, Vinicius Jr and Erling Haaland, will light up Sunday evening in New Jersey when Brazil face Norway in a blockbuster round of 16 clash.

For all their dominance on the world stage, Brazil have historically struggled to find a way past Norway, and after four failed attempts, the Selecao will hope the fifth time is the charm.

Carlo Ancelotti’s talented side has its fair share of flaws, and having narrowly escaped elimination in the last 32 against Japan, they need an improved performance against Norway – one of the dark horses at this tournament.

Spearheaded by Haaland and Martin Odegaard, Norway arrive with bragging rights – they are one of only three countries Brazil have faced at a World Cup without registering at least one victory.

How did Brazil and Norway reach the round of 16?

Brazil finished at the top of Group C, with wins over Scotland and Haiti, and a draw with Morocco. They fought from a goal down to beat Japan 2-1 in stoppage time in the last 32.

Norway came second in Group I, winning against Iraq and Senegal and falling to France. They sealed a late 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast in the last 32 – the Scandinavian nation’s first World Cup knockout victory after previous exits to Italy in 1938 and 1998.

Can Haaland extend Norway’s dream run?

Be it for club or country, towering forward Haaland’s impact cannot be understated.

Of the 10 goals Norway have scored at the tournament, Haaland is responsible for half – numbers that are remarkable for a 25-year-old making his World Cup debut.

Come Sunday, Norway will need their 1.95-metre- (6.4ft)-tall, pony-tailed talisman to strike again if they are to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.

Norway could take inspiration from their 1998 World Cup side, which famously beat Brazil 2-1 in a group game. And they need not look further than their coach Stale Solbakken – a midfielder in that Norwegian squad – for words of advice.

“Brazil are favourites, of course they are, but we are hopeful that we will give them a match, and we are not playing the game for fun – we are playing to win the game and to reach the quarterfinals,” said Solbakken. “It’s possible, but it’s very difficult.”

The Norwegians will be wary of Brazil’s very own trump card Vinicius, whose four goals at the tournament have made him the team’s leading scorer and most influential player. Vinicius became the first Brazilian since Ronaldo and Rivaldo in 2002 to score in all three group stage matches at a World Cup. That was the last time Brazil lifted the trophy.

Brazil vs Norway prediction

The Opta supercomputer gives Brazil a 53.6 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Norway’s chances of winning are 22.4 percent.

The model estimates a 24 percent probability of the game going to extra time.

Brazil vs Norway: Kickoff time, TV channel

• Brazil: SBT, CazeTV (4pm, Brasilia Standard Time)
• Norway: TV2, NRK (9pm, Central European Summer Time)
• United Kingdom: ITV1, ITVX, STV, STV Player (8pm, British Summer Time)
• United States: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (4pm, Eastern Daylight Time)

To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

Who will the winner face in the quarterfinals?

The winner of the Brazil vs Norway match will face either Mexico or England in the quarterfinals in Miami on Saturday, July 11.

Brazil vs Norway: Head-to-head

Norway hold the rare distinction of never having lost to Brazil, with two wins and two draws from their four previous meetings, including a memorable 2-1 victory over Brazil in the group stage of the 1998 World Cup.

Brazil and Norway last met in a friendly in 2006, which ended 1-1.

More worryingly for Ancelotti, Brazil have been eliminated from each of their last six World Cup knockout ties against European opponents since beating Germany in the 2002 final.

Brazil vs Norway: Team news

Brazil’s Lucas Paqueta picked up a hamstring injury in the last game, while Raphinha, who also picked up the same issue in the second game, has resumed individual training and could make the bench.

Norway’s Julian Ryerson is out with a thigh injury.

Brazil’s predicted lineup

(4-3-3): Alisson (goalkeeper); Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Santos; Guimaraes, Casemiro, Martinelli; Rayan, Cunha, Vinicius

Norway’s predicted lineup

(4-3-3): Nyland (goalkeeper); Pedersen, Ajer, Heggem, Moller Wolfe; Odegaard, Berge, Berg; Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa

The price for the final 2026 World ⁠Cup match in Seattle hit nearly $4,000 but dipped as low as $1,549 ⁠on Tuesday.

Ticket prices for ‌the United States’ highly anticipated round of 16 game against ⁠Belgium on ⁠Monday plunged by more than 30 percent before rebounding slightly early Saturday evening.

The get-in price for the final 2026 World ⁠Cup match in Seattle hit nearly $4,000 on June 1, according to ticket-tracking service TicketData.com. After dipping to as low as $1,549 ⁠on Tuesday, the get-in price spiked to $2,836 after the USA solidified their spot in the round of 16 with a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

However, the get-in price has steadily declined in the ‌days since. It dropped to $1,423 on Saturday afternoon – a 32 percent decrease over the past three days – but the get-in price rebounded to $1,635 at 6pm Eastern Time (23:00 GMT).

That late boost pushed the USA-Belgium game from the fourth-highest get-in price to the second-highest price among the eight round of 16 matches. Mexico’s game against ⁠England in Mexico City on Sunday sits ⁠at $3,574.

ROUND OF 16 TICKET PRICES*:

• Mexico-England, 7/5 (Houston): $3,574
• USA-Belgium: 7/6 (Seattle): $1,635
• Argentina-Egypt: 7/7 (Atlanta): $1,599
• Brazil-Norway: 7/5 (New Jersey): $1,537
• Portugal-Spain: 7/6 (Dallas): $1,367
• Switzerland-Colombia: $959 (Vancouver): $972
• Paraguay-France: 7/4 (Philadelphia): $914
• Canada-Morocco: 7/4 (Houston): $721

*TicketData.com as of 6 p.m. ET on July 4.

The significant drop in the ⁠get-in price for the US-Belgium game is somewhat surprising considering the Red Devils’ base camp ⁠is located just 16 kilometres (10 miles) south of Seattle ⁠Stadium at the Sounders FC Performance Center. Monday will mark Belgium’s third match in Seattle following a 1-1 draw with Egypt in the group stage and a ‌dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Senegal in the round of 32.

Canada was the first team eliminated from the round of 16 ‌with ‌their 3-0 loss to Morocco on Saturday. The get-in price for that match dropped 14 percent from $838 over the final 72 hours.

How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.

Who: France vs Paraguay
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16
Where: Philadelphia Stadium, US
When: Saturday, July 4, at 5pm (21:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 18:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream.

Kylian Mbappe’s France have been the outstanding team so far at this World Cup and will be expected to get the better of Paraguay on Saturday and extend their run to the quarterfinals.

France look a very good bet to win their third World Cup, and they are certainly expected to overcome a Paraguay team ranked 41st in the world.

After winning the trophy in 2018 and losing the 2022 final on penalties, France are hoping to become only the third team in World Cup history to reach three consecutive finals, after West Germany and Brazil.

That remains a long way off but their performances so far suggest they will take some beating.

Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat of Sweden in the last 32, in which Mbappe scored twice and Bradley Barcola once, made it four wins in four matches with 13 goals scored.

But the Paraguayans head to Philadelphia with their confidence sky-high after their victory on penalties against Germany – which led to a national holiday being declared back home.

What happened in France’s last-32 game?

Mbappe scored twice, and Michael Olise was in scintillating form as France beat Sweden 3-0.

The Real Madrid striker finished a superb move to break the deadlock just before half-time. Olise set up Paris Saint-Germain winger Barcola for the second goal on 53 minutes, and then delivered a delightful pass for Mbappe to complete a convincing victory.

Mbappe’s strikes saw him move level with Lionel Messi on six goals in the all-star golden boot race at this World Cup.

The France captain now has 18 World Cup goals in total, meaning he is just one behind Messi’s overall record of 19, a mark 27-year-old Mbappe will keep chasing.

What happened in Paraguay’s last-32 game?

The Germans trailed 1-0 at half-time to Julio Enciso’s 42nd-minute header from Matias Galarza’s cross on Monday.

It was a limp display by the four-time winners in the first period, but they drew level in the second half, when Kai Havertz scored eight minutes after the restart with a glancing header from Florian Wirtz’s ball in from the flank.

Germany then had a Jonathan Tah goal from a corner ruled out after a VAR review for a foul on Paraguay’s keeper, and with no further goal, the game went to spot kicks after extra time.

Havertz, who helped Arsenal end a 22-year wait to win the English Premier League title this season, missed the opening kick of the shootout. The forward’s side would miss three kicks in total, as Paraguay, who themselves missed two kicks, eventually prevailed 4-3.

Deschamps releases the handbrake

France have enjoyed plenty of success during Didier Deschamps’s 14 years in charge, but for a long time there was a sense that a pragmatic coach was not allowing his team to maximise their attacking potential.

Now at his last tournament before stepping down, that appears to have changed. Mbappe, Barcola, Ousmane Dembele and the brilliant Michael Olise seem unstoppable.

“There is an excellent rapport between the attacking players. They speak the same footballing language,” said Deschamps after the Sweden game.

But France’s coach says his side will not take Paraguay lightly.

“They are not here by chance. Germany are a top side, and they have that South American DNA, which means they get stuck in,” Deschamps said.

“And they have good players too. You can’t just qualify for the last 16 of the World Cup like that by chance.”

‘We also have our own strengths’

One Paraguayan player well-known in France is Julio Enciso of Strasbourg, who scored against Germany.

He recognises that few people will expect Paraguay to win as they aim to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup for just the second time.

“We also have our own strengths, and with our style of play, we’re going to try to make things difficult for any opponent,” said Enciso.

Extreme heat warnings

One potential opponent for both teams is the weather, with temperatures in Philadelphia set to reach 37 degrees Celsius (98 Fahrenheit) on Saturday.

This match will take place in the city where the American Declaration of Independence was signed 250 years ago, but celebrations for the occasion are at risk of being affected by storms.

France have already played in Philadelphia in this World Cup, and their 3-0 win over Iraq during the group stage was interrupted for two hours because of rain and thunder.

Coping with the conditions could be a challenge, and both sides will want to avoid the draining prospect of extra time and penalties.

The last meeting of the countries at a World Cup featured extra time and turned out to be one of the most pivotal moments in the modern history of the French national team.

On their way to winning the trophy for the first time on home soil in 1998, Les Bleus – with Deschamps as captain – edged Paraguay 1-0.

France vs Paraguay: Kickoff time, TV channel

• France: Bein Sports 1 (11pm, Central European Time)
• United Kingdom: BBC, ITV (10pm, British Summer Time)
• United States: FOX, Telemundo (5pm, Eastern Daylight Time)

To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

France vs Paraguay prediction

The Opta supercomputer gives France a 78.8 percent chance of winning in regulation time, while Paraguay are at 7.6 percent.

The model estimates a 13.7 percent probability that the game will go to extra time.

Head-to-head

The two countries have faced each other five times, with France winning three of the games and two ending as draws.

France beat Paraguay 5-0 in their most recent encounter – a friendly in 2017 – in which Olivier Giroud scored a hat-trick.

• June 02, 2017: France 5-0 Paraguay (friendly)
• June 01, 2014: France 1-1 Paraguay (friendly)
• May 31, 2008: France 0-0 Paraguay (friendly)
• June 28, 1998: France 1-0 Paraguay (World Cup last 16)
• June 08, 1958: France 7-3 Paraguay (World Cup group stage)

Team news

Neither side has any suspensions or reported injury concerns.

France’s predicted starting XI:

(4-2-3-1): Maignan (goalkeeper); Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe

Paraguay’s predicted starting XI:

(4-3-3): Gill (goalkeeper); Caceres, G Gomez, Canale, Alonso; Galarza, Cubas, D Gomez; Almiron, Avalos, Enciso

Lionel Messi opens scoring but Argentina taken to extra time by Cape Verde, which threatened greatest World Cup upset.

Reigning champions Argentina needed an ⁠extra-time own goal to overcome ⁠a Cape Verde side with incredible levels of resilience 3-2 in a thrilling contest and secure their spot in the last 16 of the World Cup.

The Africans, playing in their first World Cup, had twice come from a goal down on Friday ⁠to silence the vast majority of the crowd of 64,478 packed into a hot and humid Miami Stadium.

Six minutes into the second period of extra time, Lionel Messi swung a corner into the box, and Cristian Romero rose to head home off the arm of Cape Verde centre-back Diney Borges ⁠and finally set up a date with Egypt in Atlanta next Tuesday.

Messi had, almost inevitably, given Argentina the lead in the 29th minute with his seventh goal of the tournament, but Deroy Duarte equalised just before the hour mark.

The Blue Sharks held on to send the match into an additional half hour before Lisandro Martinez lashed a sumptuous shot into the roof of the net in the second minute of the first period of extra time to put Argentina ahead again.

Cape ‌Verde were not done yet, however, and left back Sidny Lopes Cabral curled a beautiful shot into the top corner of the net in the 103rd minute of the contest to put the scores back on level terms at 2-2.

Lopes Cabral could have equalised again after Romero’s goal, but his finely struck free kick was saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who had to be at his best to deny Cape Verde in the dying minutes.

Cape Verde were beaten but far from outclassed by the three-times world champions as they put in a fourth magnificent display of teamwork and grit at their first World Cup.

The only one of the four World Cup debutants to make it to the last 32 and ⁠ranked 67th in the world coming into the tournament, Cape Verde had hoped to frustrate Argentina as they did ⁠Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in group-stage draws.

They succeeded, while showing no shortage of quality of their own, for much of the game with a never-say-die desperation and a neat pass-and-move game.

Messi aside, Argentina were largely bereft of ideas against an obdurate defence and Cape Verde libero Kevin Pina was the most impressive player on the park for long periods ⁠of the contest.

It was Argentina who made the breakthrough in the 29th minute, however, when Lisandro Martinez lofted a long ball over the top of the defence to the feet of Messi.

The 39-year-old maestro took a touch with the ⁠outside of his left boot and buried it in the roof of Vozinha’s net for ⁠his 20th goal over six editions of football’s global showpiece.

Cape Verde knew they would need to score to keep their World Cup campaign alive and Duarte fired a shot at goal soon after half-time that drew a diving save out of Martinez.

Just before the hour mark, captain Ryan Mendes was freed down the right, and his pass into the box found the Dutch-born midfielder, ‌who controlled the ball with his left foot before drilling it past Martinez with his right.

Messi had a chance to put Argentina back in front four minutes later when he was played through on goal, but Vozinha stood up well to keep his shot out of the net.

One of Messi’s trademark ‌free ‌kicks was tipped away by Vozinha in the 72nd minute, and Cape Verde defender Pico Lopes had to intervene to prevent Enzo Fernandez from scoring 10 minutes later.

Cape Verde held on to force the dramatic period of extra time, and they will now return home heroes having put their tiny island-nation firmly on the footballing map.

Cristiano Ronaldo has sent a message to a young Venezuelan earthquake survivor, who is recovering in hospital after having his leg amputated. Andres Mieles, who was also orphaned in the June 24 disaster, had requested a Ronaldo trading card to keep his spirits up – but the superstar himself had other ideas.

Four wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.

Who: Canada vs Morocco
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16
Where: Houston Stadium, Texas, US
When: Saturday, July 4, at noon (17:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 14:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream.

The Round of 16 gets under way on Saturday with World Cup cohosts Canada taking on Morocco in Houston, Texas.

It marks a historic day for Canadian football, with the men’s team set to play in the last-16 for the first time in their history, thanks to a dramatic late victory over South Africa.

But in their bid to extend a dream run, Canada face a daunting challenge against Morocco, who stunned the Netherlands on penalties to punch their ticket to this round.

The African champions, semifinalists of the last edition, are unbeaten at this year’s tournament and have grown stronger with every game.

Al Jazeera tells you everything about Canada vs Morocco:

How did Canada and Morocco reach the Round of 16?

Canada came second in Group B with four points, securing a win over Qatar and a draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina. They lost to Switzerland in the final group game. The Canadians beat South Africa 1-0 in the round of 32.

Morocco were second in Group C with seven points, winning against Scotland and Haiti, and holding Brazil to a draw. In the Round of 32, they scored a late equaliser to force the game to extra time before beating the Netherlands 3-2 in a thrilling shootout.

Can Canada pass the Moroccan test to extend dream run?

Canada are the underdogs in this last-16 game, sitting 24 places below world number six Morocco in the FIFA rankings. But after breaking numerous records at the tournament – including earning their first World Cup point and winning their first game – their campaign is nothing less than a success.

“Preparing for Morocco is like a gory, horrible nightmare,” coach Jesse Marsch said. “[But] we want to be here and we expect to be here. So we know that everybody’s going to write us off, and in that is an ⁠opportunity.”

For Morocco, the game against Canada is just another hurdle in the deep run they are hoping for this summer in North America. Four years on from stunning Spain and Portugal to become the first Arab and African nation to reach the semifinals, Morocco have arrived with bigger ambitions and increased expectations.

“If we get things wrong, we’ll go ‌home,” ‌Morocco manager Mohamed Ouahbi said. “We need to ensure that we have all the tools and we’re using the tools in our arsenal to go as far as we can.”

Canada will be wary of Morocco’s talismanic forward Ismael Saibari, their top scorer with three goals and the newly signed Bayern Munich player who also scored the winning spot-kick to send them to the round of 16.

Canada vs Morocco prediction

The Opta supercomputer gives Morocco a 52.7 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Canada is at 21.7 percent.

The model estimates a 25.6 percent probability of the game going to extra time.

Canada vs Morocco: Kickoff time, TV channel

• Canada: RDS, TSN, Crave (1pm, Eastern Daylight Time)
• Morocco: beIN SPORTS (6pm, Morocco Standard Time)
• USA: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (1pm, Eastern Daylight Time)

To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

Who will the winner face in the quarterfinals?

The winner of the Canada vs Morocco match will face either France or Paraguay in the quarterfinals in Boston on Thursday.

Canada vs Morocco: Head-to-head

The two teams have met four times, with Morocco winning on three occasions, while one game ended in a draw.

Canada are winless against Morocco, who won 2-1 in their last meeting, a group game at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Canada vs Morocco: Team news

Ismael Kone is out with a broken ankle. Alphonso Davies played his first minutes at the tournament in the last game as a 75th-minute substitute and could start against Morocco.

No injuries have been reported in the Morocco camp.

Canada’s predicted lineup

(4-4-2): Crepeau (goalkeeper); Johnston, Bombito, Cornelius, Laryea; Buchanan, Saliba, Eustaquio, Millar; Oluwaseyi, David

Morocco’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Bono (goalkeeper); Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; Bouaddi, El Aynaoui; Diaz, Ounahi, El Khannouss, Saibari

Miami, United States – Singing to the beat of the drum, jumping and dancing with joyful abandon, sporting their famous light blue and white shirts, and waving large flags bearing images of their heroes, Argentinian football fans have announced their team’s arrival in Miami in grand fashion.

A day before Argentina’s first knockout match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 – and their first fixture in the Sunshine State – the portion of Miami Beach known as Little Buenos Aires came to life as close to a thousand revellers geared up for Lionel Messi’s “homecoming” on Friday.

The defending champions and one of the pre-tournament favourites will take on the fairytale team of the World Cup – the small African island nation of Cape Verde.

The match at Miami Stadium will pit a team supported by one of the largest travelling fan bases of the tournament against an outfit that may not have strong backing in the stands but has endeared itself to the neutrals with its heroic performances.

Among Argentinian supporters, though, there’s no room for sympathy for the team punching above its weight.

For Adrian Elizondo, the logic is simple: “Messi deserves to win another World Cup.”

“It’s Messi’s last World Cup and since he’s the greatest player of all time, he deserves to walk away with another trophy,” Elizondo told Al Jazeera.

Elizondo believes there’s more to Argentina’s success than Messi.

“We have good players, a great coach and tens of thousands of people supporting the team. We make a big difference.”

A quick glance at the party-like atmosphere in Miami Beach reinforced Elizondo’s claim.

Miami, where Messi has been playing his club football since 2023, is home to at least 30,000 Argentinians, according to local census data.

Add to this mix another 20,000 fans following the team on their quest to defend the title in the United States and it becomes evident that Miami is “Messi Country”.

The crowd in North Beach, which is home to several decades-old Argentinian restaurants and cafes, started building more than 24 hours before kickoff and showed no sign of letting up as the evening went on.

Fans, from toddlers to supporters in their 70s, were seen walking towards the central area in Little Buenos Aires.

A small pocket of enthusiasts would begin singing “Muchachos” – the famous Argentinian football anthem – and hundreds of others would soon join in.

While the lyrics speak to the heartbreak of lost World Cup finals and past heroes, the mood among fans was festive, especially as Messi and Co broke a 36-year title drought four years ago in Qatar and emulated his hero Diego Maradona in leading them to a World Cup trophy.

For Argentina fans, Maradona and Messi are commonly considered the master and the protege. It’s part of their footballing folklore which is reinforced at every opportunity.

In Miami, as men, women and children danced on the streets, a group of supporters dressed in the shirts of Argentinian football club Newell’s Old Boys proudly stood in front of a banner connecting the two national heroes with the club.

Jorge Martinelli travelled to Miami from Rosario, the club’s base, with his friends and proudly shared some facts about his hometown.

“Messi was born in Rosario and played in Newell’s youth teams before joining Barcelona, while Maradona came to the club in 1993,” he tells Al Jazeera.

Is there any other connection between the two iconic captains? Martinelli said: “Yes, it’s a cosmic connection.

“Many here believe Maradona is guiding the team from the heavens above,” he quipped.

Amid Martinelli’s explanation of the spiritual connection between the two, fans let off crackers to celebrate Miami’s favourite footballing son’s return to his adopted home.

The Rosario resident said he does not want to contemplate a future after Messi retires from international football.

“It will create a big hole in the national team, the same as what happened after Maradona,” he said.

For now, though, he believes Messi is the favourite to do what even the great Maradona couldn’t achieve: successfully defend the title.

“He [Messi] is here. He’s playing. Maradona is watching.”

Switzerland remain unbeaten at the 2026 World Cup and will face either Colombia or Ghana in the next game.

Switzerland ‌striker Breel Embolo struck early and winger Dan Ndoye added a second as their side ⁠cruised to a 2-0 ⁠win over Algeria on Thursday and into the last 16 at the FIFA World Cup, where they will meet Colombia or Ghana back in Vancouver next week.

Murat Yakin’s Swiss ⁠side put on a tactical masterclass, shifting formations and laying traps for Algeria before hitting them with two sucker-punch goals that decided a contest short on excitement, but full of intrigue and nuance.

Pitted ⁠against a familiar foe in Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic, who had seven years at the helm of Switzerland between 2014 and 2021, Yakin set his team up to absorb early pressure and strike on the break, and that is exactly what they did.

Their opener was as simple as it was effective.

The Swiss won ‌the ball in their own half and sent 20-year-old Johan Manzambi off down the left on the counter, and he squared for Embolo to steer the ball into the net from close range in the 10th minute.

The lead secured, Switzerland shifted to a five-man midfield out of possession, snuffing out the space and challenging the Algerians to play through them, but Petkovic’s charges struggled to break their opponents down.

Algeria’s best chance came in first-half stoppage time when Ibrahim Maza dragged ⁠a snap shot wide of the near post, one of the few efforts ⁠on goal they managed in the game.

The Swiss struck again almost immediately after the break, attacking down the right before a half-hearted clearance from Rafik Belghali ended up at the feet of Ndoye, and the winger placed his shot beyond the ⁠dive of goalkeeper Luca Zidane.

Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez could have pulled a goal back moments later, but he fired straight at a defender from ⁠a central position, summing up a frustrating evening for the Algerians.

With Granit Xhaka steering Switzerland’s defensive shape, they reverted to their original game plan of ceding possession and launching lightning-fast counterattacks, but the Algerians were wary of committing players forward, lest they concede again.

Despite the sellout crowd at BC Place, the last 15 ‌minutes were played in virtual silence, only broken by cheers and then groans as Swiss substitute Fabian Rieder somehow contrived to miss with the goal at his mercy, scuffing his shot back across ‌goal ‌where a grateful Zidane was able to avert the danger.

Fortunately for Switzerland, it had no bearing on the outcome as they celebrated moving into a last-16 clash on Tuesday.