World Cup 2026

Dakar, Senegal – The silence came before kickoff. Not from fear but anticipation, a nation holding its breath.

Across Dakar, radios crackled from open windows. Men gathered shoulder to shoulder in cafes, their eyes fixed on flickering television screens. Families crowded into living rooms. Friends leaned over phones, tea growing cold as conversation gave way to concentration.

The city’s usual rhythm horns, its markets, its arguments, its laughter – did not disappear. It simply yielded to something larger.

Senegal were in the first knockout round of the World Cup, playing against Belgium.

On the 25th-minute mark of the game, the boy from the suburbs of Dakar, Habib Diarra, delivered the nation from its anxiety, sweeping a loose ball beyond the Belgian goalkeeper: 1-0 to Senegal.

Eight thousand kilometres away from the game in Seattle, the United States, Dakar became the stadium. The celebrations only grew after Senegal scored a second goal early in the second half. Confidence turned into complacency. Five minutes from full-time, car horns blared and firecrackers echoed through the night. Victory was near.

But the celebrations came too early.

Belgium scored once. Then again. All in the space of five minutes, completing an astonishing comeback. And then, in the final minutes of extra-time, Senegal gave away a penalty: 3-2 to Belgium.

Problem is preparation

A day later, the silence remains.

Not quite mourning, but more disbelief.

“It’s incomprehensible,” says former Senegal international footballer Ferdinand Coly. “When you control a match with such quality until the 85th minute, you have to finish it. But psychologically, everything changed.”

Coly believes the turning point was not Belgium’s resurgence, but the Senegal coaching team’s decisions.

“The substitutions completely changed the midfield. There was no reason to make them. Once Belgium scored, they gained the psychological advantage. Senegal became fragile. They retreated, played with fear, and never recovered.”

Coly was part of Senegal’s 2002 World Cup squad, the team that famously stunned France in the tournament’s opening match.

“It’s never over… until the final whistle,” he said, reflecting on Belgium’s dramatic comeback.

Since retiring, Coly has swapped his football boots for farming. He has also worked with the Senegalese Football Federation, and believes the national team has lost sight of the basics.

For him, the problem is not talent but preparation.

He criticises what he sees as an over-reliance on data, statistics, and performance apps, instead of building a coherent team identity and developing a clear tactical strategy.

As Belgium searched for an equaliser, their coach was still scribbling notes on a sheet of paper, adjusting and reacting until the very last minute.

“What a contrast!” Coly said. “We’re relying on technology when football is still about reading the game, adapting and thinking.”

Same old struggle

Coly’s analysis echoes that of supporters still trying to process a defeat that slipped away in the closing minutes.

Ibrahima Diop is a die-hard fan of the Lions of Teranga. He travelled to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He was even jailed in Morocco after trouble during the Africa Cup of Nations Final earlier this year.

In that controversial final – played against the hosts, Morocco – Senegal’s coach controversially called his players off the pitch after a disputed penalty decision. Senegal went on to win the match, but later lost the title over the incident.

For Diop, the lesson was the same as against Belgium.

“It comes down to concentration,” he says. “For 85 minutes the team was organised and united. Then it disappeared. European teams are prepared psychologically to fight until the very end. We still struggle in those final minutes.”

Diop also believes Senegal were missing something impossible to measure.

“The team played without its supporters. Visa restrictions and the economic crisis meant many fans could not travel. The players know what that atmosphere gives them. Mentally, it made a difference.”

US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation in December declaring that no visas would be given for business or tourism to nationals of Senegal, and several other countries. This meant that fans with only Senegalese nationality were unable to travel to the tournament.

Diop sees a pattern in this World Cup. Ivory Coast, DR Congo, and now Senegal led until the closing minutes, only to watch victory slip away in stadiums empty of their fans.

Cruel for country

Football is rarely just football. This World Cup – meant to unite – has revealed the deep inequalities beyond the stands. A nation may be united in victory. But when the referee blows the final whistle, another game begins: the blame game.

Football is opium for the masses, says Coly.  It has become one of the few moments when political loyalties disappear. For 90 minutes, everyone wears the same colours.

“The national team is a bridge,” Coly said. “When Senegal plays, there is no political affiliation. It’s simply Senegal. Sport has this unique ability to unite people beyond their differences.”

The unity makes defeat feel disproportionately heavy.

Social media quickly filled with frozen moments from the match: missed chances, defensive mistakes, and coaching decisions replayed endlessly.

Under pressure, football often reveals more than just sporting weaknesses.

Babacar Fall, a Senegalese journalist who has closely followed the national team, argues that the problems began long before kickoff.

According to him, uncertainty over the coach’s future, disagreements inside the federation, and unresolved contractual issues created instability during the tournament.

“There were already problems before the Norway match,” he says. “The coach’s contract wasn’t settled. There were disagreements over player selection. Then, 10 minutes from the end against Belgium, one substitution broke the defensive structure completely.”

He draws an even broader comparison.

“The country is paralysed. There was so much hope after the Africa Cup of Nations, just as there was so much hope politically. Today, there is disappointment. In many ways, the team’s collapse reflects the country’s mood.”

Those views capture a feeling repeated by many supporters in Dakar this week. There is frustration, not simply because Senegal lost, but because of how it lost.

The talent was there. The opportunity was there. For much of the match, Senegal looked like the stronger side. That is perhaps why the silence lingers.

This generation has raised expectations. Winning continental titles transformed how Senegal sees itself. Reaching the knockout stages is no longer enough; supporters believe this team should compete with the world’s best.

Ultimately, it is only football. But in Senegal, football has become something larger than sport. It is a source of national pride, a rare moment of collective unity, and a reflection of possibility.

That is why this defeat feels so cruel. Not because a match was lost. But because, for one evening, it felt as though an entire country’s potential had slipped away in the space of just five minutes.

Mikel Oyarzabal’s brace allows the European champions to dominate Austria and move on to the round of 16.

Spain coasted past Austria and into the FIFA World Cup last 16 on Thursday, thoroughly outclassing their opponents in a 3-0 knockout win, with a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal and a Pedro Porro header.

The European champions controlled possession and sliced through the Austrian defence in a typically dominant performance in Los Angeles, as Hollywood stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem and singer Rosalia cheered on.

The win, which could have been by a greater margin – with a disallowed goal and a free kick off the woodwork – sets up a tantalising round-of-16 clash with either Portugal or Croatia.

“I’m happy to help the team and get through to the next round. Now we need to rest,” said Oyarzabal directly after full-time.

“They were a physical side and difficult to play against, but we played a good match. We’re happy to qualify,” he added.

As to whether he would prefer Portugal or Croatia in Monday’s last-16 match-up, Oyarzabal remarked: “It doesn’t matter who we face in the next round; I have friends in both teams.”

Oyarzabal sets the tone

Los Angeles Stadium was a sea of red and excitement over the first visit by a bona fide World Cup favourite to the US’s second city.

Spain ratcheted up the pressure gradually through the first half, creating a string of chances after the first hydration break.

Marc Cucurella thought he had scored from a Lamine Yamal corner, but Pau Cubarsi was judged to have encroached on Austria’s goalkeeper.

Alexander Schlager then made a superb diving save, pushing Oyarzabal’s low shot around the post.

Austria’s defence finally buckled in the 36th minute. Pedri pinged a ball wide, left to Cucurella, whose cross to Oyarzabal was calmly side-footed past the goalkeeper.

Spain’s dominance grew further, with Yamal tormenting the Austrians, mainly from the right flank.

An Alex Baena free kick hit the crossbar, and Yamal’s close-range follow-up shot was well saved.

Austria spurned a rare chance at the other end. Romano Schmid played in a late-arriving and unmarked Stefan Posch, but a terrible first touch meant he lost the ball before even attempting a shot.

‘Ole’

After the break, Spain continued knocking on the door without quite putting the game to rest.

Austria sent on two giant strikers, Sasa Kalajdzic and Marko Arnautovic, and immediately went long, with Kalajdzic putting a header over the bar.

But in the 66th minute, Spain struck again. Baena lifted a cross onto the head of Pedro Porro, who nodded in his first goal for Spain.

Some dogged defending kept the scoreline respectable, including a goal-line clearance by David Alaba from Yamal, who was substituted off to rest moments later.

Spain sprayed passes around the pitch as the final minutes ticked down, eliciting “Oles” from the crowd, as attention turned to a sterner test on Monday in Dallas.

In the 89th minute, a pinpoint Cucurella cross found a completely unmarked Oyarzabal in the penalty area, who slotted the ball home to seal the victory in style.

Gaza’s first women’s amputee football team is reclaiming a space that war tried to take from them, challenging stigma around women and people with disabilities in sport.

The penalty awarded against the Senegalese national team in the final moments of their match against Belgium on Wednesday caused widespread controversy after it led to their elimination from the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, in a harsh turn of events that saw the “Lions of Teranga” go from leading 2-0 to losing 3-2.

Honduran referee Said Martinez awarded a penalty kick at the end of the second period of extra time, after a VAR review, following a challenge by Senegal’s Lamine Camara on Belgian captain Youri Tielemans, with the score tied 2-2 and the match heading towards a penalty shootout.

The “Archivo VAR” platform, which specialises in analysing refereeing decisions, said that VAR intervened excessively during the match, confirming that it was Tielemans who extended his foot in front of Camara, causing the contact.

The platform added, via its account on “X,” that the incident did not warrant VAR intervention, explaining that it was the Belgian player who forced the contact entirely, and that the situation did not amount to the clear and obvious error needed to justify the referee reviewing the decision.

The decision triggered a wave of controversy on social media, with one fan writing: “This is 100% robbery. Senegal have been robbed. How is this a penalty? Belgium do not deserve to go through corruption.”

Sports content creator Sneako blamed the result on match ‘”rigging”.

“Rigged! Senegal should storm the pitch right now. Leave the pitch and go home. This is rigged!”

Another sports fan wrote: “I’m sorry, but this was never a penalty. Camara went to clear the ball, but it was Tielemans who got in his way. Senegal was robbed, and it should have been Belgium going out.”

Spanish sports journalist Manolo Lama commented: “They stole the Africa Cup of Nations from them, and now they’re stealing all the solidarity with Senegal at the World Cup too.”

Egyptian journalist Mohamed Saeed linked the incident to what happened in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco, writing: “You can feel that the penalty awarded against Senegal in the final seconds was a harsh lesson and a difficult test. After the scenes from the Africa Cup of Nations final, I think that if it weren’t for the change in the rules around the withdrawal incident, this scene could have repeated itself.”

Another sports fan, Fares Ahmed, wrote that football ”teaches lessons” and the outcome brought back the memory of Senegal at the tournament in Morocco.

“They took advantage of the tournament’s vulnerable position and the host’s need to make it a success, and used that to impose their pressure,” Ahmed wrote. “Today, the scene was almost repeated against Belgium — a penalty in the final minutes, objections, and disbelief over the decision — but this time there was no threat of withdrawal, because you can’t risk penalties like that in a tournament the size of the World Cup.”

Drawing a connection between the two events, one follower wrote on “X”: “When there was a clear penalty in the Morocco final, they rebelled against the decision and tarnished the reputation of African football, just because the tournament was in Morocco. But when an unclear penalty came along that eliminated them from the World Cup, they stayed silent, because this time it was in the West.”

After the dramatic penalty was awarded, Tielemans stepped up to take it and scored successfully, netting Belgium’s third goal and capping off an unexpected comeback that eliminated the Lions of Teranga.

But back on the pitch, Senegal had the run of play for 85 minutes. The African team held a two-goal lead, and had all but secured a spot in the round of 16 at the World Cup.

Within five minutes, it crumbled and the players were feeling it.

“We were at the heart of writing the beautiful pages of the history of our football in this world,” defender Krepin Diatta said. “And we have to accept that we failed at our mission.”

Senegal midfielder Habib Diarra said. “We had a good first half, but it wasn’t enough. A match lasts 90 minutes, and we’re devastated. It’s very tough. I don’t know what to say. When you’re on the pitch, you have to give your all, and that’s not what we did. We’ve only got ourselves to blame.”

Toronto, Canada – The year was 2009, and a sculpted, spiky-haired, 24-year-old Ronaldo was greeted by hundreds of adoring fans in Toronto dying to catch a glimpse of the newly signed Real Madrid superstar as he graced the city with his presence for the first time.

Fast forward 17 years, and the visuals are almost identical, give or take a few differences.

Hundreds of Toronto residents took to the streets on Wednesday, lining highways, thronging downtown intersections, climbing onto each other’s shoulders and peeking out of high-rise buildings, all to get a 10-second glimpse of Ronaldo passing by, as Portugal arrived in the city ahead of their World Cup round of 32 clash with Croatia.

The last time the football icon was in Toronto was August 2009 when Real Madrid played a friendly against Toronto FC, coincidentally at the same stadium where Portugal will take on Croatia on Thursday evening.

Wednesday being a public holiday increased the chances of fans catching a glimpse of the 41-year-old football legend at what is likely to be his last ever World Cup, and potentially last World Cup match if Portugal are knocked out of the tournament.

The city was buzzing with Ronaldo fever right from the minute Portugal landed at Pearson airport early Wednesday afternoon.

Biker groups lined Gardiner Expressway to escort the Portuguese team bus to the Delta Hotel, where hundreds of fans gathered to get a glimpse of Ronaldo as he exited the bus, and then again when the team headed to Centennial Park for their training session.

Even at the grounds in Etobicoke, dozens of starstruck fans sporting red #7 jerseys stood outside the field as Ronaldo and the Portugal team warmed up on what was supposedly the hottest day of the year in Canada.

The fan frenzy was valid; for most Portugal fans in the city, this was the closest they would get to seeing the one and only Cristiano Ronaldo in person.

Sky-high ticket prices for the match, some as ludicrous as $30,000 Canadian dollars ($21,000), were unaffordable to the average football fan.

Tickets to the sold-out game have averaged $2,500-3,500 Canadian dollars over the past week on resale platforms, even though Ontario laws forbid third-party sales above face value.

“I’m a dad and a husband, and I couldn’t justify spending that kind of money on a ticket no matter how much I want to see Portugal play in Toronto,” Joey, 33, told Al Jazeera, as he closed out his shift at Bairrada Churrasqueira on the fringe of Little Portugal in Toronto.

“But it still feels surreal that Portugal is playing here in Toronto, who would have ever thought that,” the restaurant worker beamed, as he flipped chairs onto the tables before mopping the floor.

Worlds collide

Joey, who declined to share his surname, was one of tens of thousands of Portuguese-Canadians who have called Toronto home for several decades now.

The first wave of immigrants arrived in the 1950s seeking better opportunities for themselves and their families. Just last year, the city inaugurated the Azores Parkette in the heart of Little Portugal to honour the 18 “pioneering men” who departed Sao Miguel, Azores, and landed on the shores of Halifax to build a new life.

So when Portugal take the field in Toronto Stadium on Thursday, it’ll be more than just a game for generations of hyphenated Canadians in the city; for them, it’s two worlds colliding in a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

For Shannon Medeiros, 46, the match holds even more significance. The football fanatic fell in love with the sport aged six, inspired by her father, who attended every game and coached her as she delved into the sport.

The game has been a crucial part of her life, and her family’s, since her father and his family arrived in Canada when he was 16 years old, in the 1950s.

Like many immigrants at the time, schooling had to be abandoned in favour of a job to help make ends meet for the family, which, in his case, arrived in Montreal with a single suitcase and lived in another family’s basement until they could afford a place of their own.

Football was the only non-negotiable, axiomatic staple in the Portuguese community that grew from a few hundred to more than 300,000 people.

“It’s something we do as a family now; that’s how much the game means to us,” said Medeiros, who now coaches her two sons in the sport the way her father did for her.

The storyline is almost identical to that of Stephen Eustaquio, Canada’s wonder boy who scored against South Africa to send his team to the World Cup round of 16 for the first time in history.

The Ontario-born, partially Portuguese-raised football star was guided into the sport by his father and his Portuguese background for a love of football. The sport was a way for the community to come together and enjoy a shared sense of identity, as Canada welcomed dozens of ethnicities decade after decade.

“The one thing you’ll see in the Portuguese community is how proud we are – of our heritage, our culture, to wear the jersey, put a flag up,” Medeiros told Al Jazeera.

A walk through Little Portugal during the World Cup would show you just that; flags split diagonally with Canada and Portugal in each half, fluttering on porches or glued to bedroom windows, an omnipresent CN Tower needle peeking above the neighbourhood anywhere you stand.

Match predictions

Medeiros admitted that while the team has not been playing to their full potential at the tournament, they have a strong chance of winning against Croatia. She’ll see whether her prediction comes true or not as she watches the game with her father at his house.

Elsewhere in the city, fans without match tickets are heading to sports bars, match screenings and fan festivals to see whether Ronaldo will score his first knockout-round goal at a World Cup that saw an unimpressive start for the Portuguese captain.

“I think Portugal will win 2-1, or maybe 3-1. But don’t tell my girlfriend I said that,” Josh Madeiros grinned, as he waited for his drink at Garrafeira. The Portuguese-Canadian 35-year-old will be supporting his side away from his girlfriend, who is Croatian.

He thought long and hard before admitting that Portugal’s team has had a shaky run so far, and that there’s only so much Ronaldo can do as a player in his forties.

“But he’s still my guy, and he’s still the GOAT [greatest of all time].”

Belgium fans celebrate a dramatic 3-2 victory over Senegal in extra time after the Red Devils fought back from two goals down. Supporters describe the match as an emotional rollercoaster from despair to elation.

Tielemans’s penalty late into stoppage time of extra time capped Belgium’s comeback from 2-0 down in Seattle.

Youri Tielemans struck a 125th-minute penalty as Belgium rallied from two goals down and defeated Senegal 3-2 after extra time in their World Cup last ⁠-32 clash in Seattle to keep alive their title hopes, which had looked dead and buried.

Senegal’s Lamine Camara slid in on Tielemans as the ball flashed across the face of goal and conceded the spot kick after a ⁠⁠video assistant referee review, with the Belgian picking out the top corner to complete an extraordinary comeback on Wednesday.

Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr had given Senegal a deserved 2-0 lead, and they looked to be cruising through to the next round before Belgium netted twice in the final four minutes through Romelu Lukaku and Tielemans to force extra time.

Belgium now face the winner of ‌‌Wednesday’s last-32 clash between cohosts United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the next round in Seattle on Monday.

It was cruel on Senegal, who controlled much of the 90 minutes, and struck the woodwork twice, but could not see out the game.

They became the fourth African side to bow out in a narrow defeat in the last 32 after South Africa, Ivory Coast, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and will wonder how they managed to let this one slip.

Senegal were inches away from the lead when Ismail Jakobs’s cross from the ⁠⁠left was parried by Thibaut Courtois, but a stretching Sarr could only steer the ⁠⁠loose ball onto the post.

When the African side did break the deadlock in the 25th minute, it was no surprise. Sadio Mane’s cross was headed goal-wards by Sarr, but his effort came off the post again.

This time, the loose ball fell kindly for Diarra, and he side-footed home ⁠⁠from 7 yards.

Maxim De Cuyper forced an excellent save from Senegal goalkeeper Mory Diaw with a shot that looked to be heading into the top corner as Belgium trailed ⁠⁠at the break.

Belgium brought on Lukaku for the ineffective ⁠⁠Charles De Ketelaere at half-time, but were soon 2-0 down.

A stunning long pass from Moussa Niakhate was brilliantly controlled on the chest by Sarr, who held off two defenders before thundering the ball into the net in the 51st minute.

Belgium struggled to create clear-cut chances until the final five minutes, ‌‌and almost out of nowhere turned the game on its head by netting twice in three minutes.

First, Lukaku turned the ball in at the near post from Thomas Meunier’s low cross, and Leandro Trossard’s ball into the box from ‌‌deep ‌‌was headed into the net by Tielemans.

Those two had been involved in a heated exchange earlier in the match, but it was all smiles and hugs when the equaliser went in, before Tielemans was central again in the winner.

Health officials say three people died during massive celebrations in Mexico City after Mexico’s 2-0 World Cup win over Ecuador. The victims — a 19-year-old woman, a 48-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man — died of asphyxiation. Thousands had crowded into the streets to celebrate Mexico’s first World Cup knockout-round win since 1986.

Adverse weather does not dampen Mexico’s party as the cohosts storm into the last 16 by beating Ecuador.

Mexico turned on the style at their iconic Azteca Stadium on Tuesday, brushing Ecuador aside 2-0 to break their FIFA World Cup knockout curse dating back 40 years.

The round-of-32 match was delayed for an hour due to stormy weather, and when it started, the co-hosts flew out of the blocks, mounting wave after wave of attacks.

In a supercharged atmosphere, Julian Quinones gave Mexico a deserved lead midway through the first half with a thunderous strike, and then turned provider for Raul Jimenez.

Ecuador desperately needed to wrest back the momentum after the break but struggled to shift through the gears, with the home side largely in control.

Mexico had not won a World Cup knockout game since 1986, when it last hosted the tournament.

Tuesday’s win means Mexico are now unbeaten in 10 World Cup games at the Azteca and will fancy their chances against England or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the round of 16.

Mexico were one of only three teams in the group phase to win all three of their matches, alongside title favourites France and reigning champions Argentina, and did not concede a single goal.

Ecuador finished third in their group, scoring just two goals.

Gilberto Mora, 17, was named in the starting line-up for Mexico, becoming the second-youngest player to start a knockout match at the World Cup finals behind Brazil legend Pele in 1958.

The home team started on the front foot, refusing to allow a shell-shocked Ecuador to settle.

Jimenez wasted a glorious headed chance in the seventh minute, and Mora flashed just wide.

At the other end, John Yeboah muscled his way into the penalty area in a rare foray forward for the visitors, clipping the outside of the near post.

Mexico took the lead in the 22nd minute when Saudi-based Quinones received the ball from Roberto Alvarado and tore down the left before driving into the box and unleashing an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Hernan Galindez, raising the roof.

The first hydration break failed to change the script, and Mexico doubled their lead after half an hour when Quinones fed Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Jimenez, who fired a rocket into the top corner.

Raul Rangel produced a fine save to keep out another Yeboah effort, as Ecuador got a foothold in the match, but chances kept flowing at the other end.

Ecuador coach Sebastian Beccacece made several changes after the break in an effort to find a way back into the match. But Mexico, largely content to sit back, still looked the more threatening team, with Cesar Montes twice going close.

Ecuador substitute Kevin Rodriguez poked just wide with just over a quarter of an hour remaining, but their chances ran out. Piero Hincapie was sent off in stoppage time after covering his mouth during a confrontation with an opposition player to cap a miserable night for Ecuador.

Mexico will hope the Azteca, which hosted the World Cup final in 1970 and 1986, works its magic again in the last 16 on Sunday.

From the quarterfinals onwards, all the matches at the World Cup will be taking place in the United States.

Mexican fans gathered outside Ecuador’s team hotel using loudspeakers, horns and motorcycles to disturb their rest, ahead of their round of 32 knockout match. The Ecuadorian soccer federation said it has filed a formal complaint with organizers.

Mexican football fans did their best to give Ecuador a sleepless night ahead of their World Cup match in the round of 32 in Mexico City.

From midnight until the early hours of the morning, dozens of fans gathered outside the Westin Hotel in Santa Fe, an upscale area on the outskirts of the capital, using loudspeakers, horns, and motorcycles to disturb the visiting team’s rest.

Team hotel serenades are a deeply entrenched, highly polarising tradition in Latin American football. While they began as a passionate way for fans to rally behind the home team, they have increasingly evolved into a psychological weapon designed to rob visiting players of a good night’s sleep.

After the incidents in Mexico City, the Ecuadorian football federation said on Tuesday it had filed a formal complaint with organisers.

“Such conduct stands in stark contrast to the principles of fair play, equity, and unity that a World Cup should embody,” the federation, known as FEF, said in a statement.

“The FEF respectfully calls upon the competent authorities to pay greater attention to these events and to adopt the necessary measures to safeguard the safety of our players, coaching staff, and fans.”

The fan ambush, organised on social media, added to a chaotic arrival for Ecuador. The disruption capped off a gruelling logistical nightmare for the South American team, which had deliberately planned a last-minute Monday night arrival to mitigate the effects of Mexico City’s 2,200-metre (7,300-foot) altitude.

To combat the physiological toll of thin air, sports scientists generally recommend two contrasting approaches: an extended acclimatisation period of at least two weeks, or the “fly-in, fly-out” method — arriving as close to kick-off as possible before acute symptoms set in.

That is the route that teams from the major sports leagues in the United States use when they come to play in Mexico City.

But Ecuador’s journey from Columbus, Ohio, was plagued by delays from the start. Ecuador coach Sebastián Beccacece complained that their flight was delayed by more than three hours, though he did not specify whether he had factored in the two-hour time difference between the cities.

“A flight delay, then the transfer to the hotel — it ended up being a nine-hour journey; we took three hours longer than scheduled,” Beccacece said. “But the team is doing well and is excited — obviously facing an opponent that posted good results in the group stage.”

Additionally, the team landed at Felipe Ángeles International Airport, located 65 kilometres from their hotel. The squad was forced to navigate the trek to Santa Fe through Mexico City’s notoriously heavy traffic, which was further paralysed on Monday by heavy night rain.

Morocco’s Ismael Saibari embraced his mother after scoring the winning penalty against Netherlands to reach the World Cup last 16. The players danced and cheered in the dressing room after the dramatic win in Monterrey, Mexico.

The Round of 32 has already delivered shocks, shootouts and scenes that will live long in World Cup memory.

After Paraguay stunned Germany and Morocco sent the Netherlands home on penalties, Tuesday brings three more games, with France, Norway and co-hosts Mexico all looking to avoid becoming the next big casualty.

Ivory Coast face Norway, France meet Sweden and Mexico take on Ecuador as three more places in the last 16 are decided.

Here is what we know:

What is Tuesday’s schedule?

• Ivory Coast vs Norway (noon/17:00 GMT) at Dallas Stadium, Texas, in the US
• France vs Sweden (5pm/21:00 GMT) at New York/New Jersey Stadium in the US
• Mexico vs Ecuador (7pm/02:00 GMT on Wednesday) at Mexico City Stadium in Mexico

What is the prediction for Ivory Coast vs Norway?

This will be the first competitive meeting between Ivory Coast and Norway.

Ivory Coast have found European opposition difficult at the World Cup while Norway have traditionally fared well against African teams. They have lost only two of their 19 meetings with CAF nations across all competitions.

The Opta supercomputer calculates Norway as the clear favourites to progress.

Across 25,000 pre-match simulations, Norway won in normal time 56.1 percent of the time, while Ivory Coast claimed victory in 21.6 percent. A draw after 90 minutes, sending the tie to extra time, occurred in 22.3 percent of simulations.

Norway are also strongly backed to reach the Round of 16 and equal their best-ever World Cup finish, while Ivory Coast will need to produce one of the tournament’s biggest upsets to keep their campaign alive.

What is the prediction for France vs Sweden?

France and Sweden are familiar opponents, having met 23 times across all competitions. France hold the advantage with 12 wins to Sweden’s six, while five matches have ended level.

Despite that long history, this will be their first-ever meeting at a FIFA World Cup.

The Opta supercomputer gives France a commanding edge heading into the Round of 32.

Across 25,000 pre-match simulations, France won in normal time 75.1 percent of the time, underlining their status as one of the tournament favourites. Sweden were victorious in just 9.5 percent of simulations, while 15.4 percent of matches were level after 90 minutes and required extra time or penalties.

What is the prediction for Mexico vs Ecuador?

Mexico and Ecuador have met only once before at the FIFA World Cup, with El Tri claiming a 2-1 victory during the group stage of the 2002 tournament.

Recent meetings have been far more evenly matched. The sides are unbeaten against each other in their last three encounters, with all three ending in draws, raising the possibility that this Round of 32 tie could be decided beyond 90 minutes.

The Opta supercomputer gives the tournament co-hosts the edge but expects a competitive contest.

Across 25,000 pre-match simulations, Mexico won in normal time 47.1 percent of the time, compared with 23.7 percent for Ecuador. A draw after 90 minutes occurred in 29.2 percent of simulations, making extra time a realistic possibility.

Factoring in extra time and penalties, Mexico’s chances of reaching the Round of 16 rise to 61 percent, while Ecuador are given a 38.9 percent probability of progressing.

Which teams have advanced to the Round of 16 and who has been eliminated?

The tournament has now moved into the Round of 32.  So far, these teams have advanced to the Round of 16:

• Canada (defeated South Africa 1-0)
• Brazil (defeated Japan 2-1)
• Paraguay (defeated Germany on penalties after a 1-1 draw)
• Morocco (defeated the Netherlands on penalties after a 1-1 draw)

What else is happening?

Morocco stuns Netherlands on penalties

Morocco beat the Netherlands 3-2 in a penalty shootout to reach the FIFA World Cup last 16 after a dramatic 1-1 draw following extra time in Monterrey.

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was the hero, saving Crysencio Summerville’s penalty before Ismael Saibari fired home the decisive spot-kick to send Morocco through.

Morocco will now face Canada in the Round of 16 in Houston on Saturday.

The match appeared to be heading for a Dutch victory after Cody Gakpo, playing just days after he and his partner announced the loss of their unborn child, put the Netherlands ahead midway through the second half.

Gakpo’s emotional World Cup goal

Cody Gakpo broke down in tears after scoring for the Netherlands against Morocco, just two days after he and his partner announced the loss of their unborn child.

The forward chose to remain with the squad despite the tragedy and received a standing ovation from Dutch fans when he was substituted in extra time.

Saibari celebrates with his mum

A heartwarming moment goes viral as Ismael Saibari, who scored the decisive penalty kick against Netherlands, celebrates Morocco’s big win with his mother on the pitch.

Germany suffers shock early exit

Germany’s campaign came to a stunning end on Monday as Paraguay pulled off one of the greatest upsets in tournament history, winning a dramatic Round of 32 tie on penalties.

Paraguay took a deserved 1-0 lead into half-time after Julio Enciso headed home from Matias Galarza’s cross in the 42nd minute.

Germany responded eight minutes into the second half when Kai Havertz glanced in Florian Wirtz’s cross to level the match at 1-1.

With neither side able to find a winner in extra time, the tie went to penalties. Havertz missed Germany’s opening spot-kick and the Germans failed to convert three of their five attempts, allowing Paraguay to seal a famous 4-3 shootout victory and book their place in the last 16.

Paraguay declares national holiday after stunning Germany

Paraguay President Santiago Pena declared Tuesday a national holiday after the country’s shock penalty shootout victory over Germany secured a place in the FIFA World Cup last 16.

Paraguay stunned the four-time world champions 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw following extra time on Monday, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.

Paraguay became the second South American nation to declare a national holiday after a surprise World Cup victory over Germany. Ecuador was the first, doing so after its 2-1 group-stage win over the four-time champions.

Translation: Giant Paraguay! Today, an entire country celebrates. It celebrates the victory of a team that represents the deepest part of our identity: the grit, the faith, and the strength of a people who never give up. Thank you, Albirroja, for gifting us this immense joy and for once again uniting millions of Paraguayans under the same flag. Decree No. 6280: the best things are worth the wait. Let’s go Paraguay! 

US homeland security chief celebrates Iran’s exit

US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said he “danced a happy dance” after Iran were eliminated from the World Cup.

Iran missed out on the Round of 32 on goal difference after a stoppage-time winner against Egypt was ruled out for offside, with their elimination confirmed when Algeria and Austria drew 3-3 on Sunday.

Speaking during a World Cup briefing on Monday, Mullin said he was “glad they’re done, and they’re not coming back”, adding he was happy when Iran’s visas were revoked and the team left US soil. He also said Iran had required more attention from US authorities than any other team at the tournament.

The comments add to Mullin’s public dispute with the Iranian team. Earlier in the tournament, he alleged members of Iran’s travelling delegation had attempted to bring someone with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps into the United States, an accusation the Iran Football Federation dismissed as “false, fabricated and entirely baseless.”

Gabriel Martinelli scored the winner late in injury time to give five-time champions Brazil a 2-1 win over Japan in the World Cup round of 32 in Houston.

Martinelli, who had come on as a second-half substitute, scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time as the match on Monday appeared to be heading to extra time.

Brazil will next face either the Ivory Coast or Norway on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the round of 16.

Casemiro had earlier equalised with a header in the 56th minute off an assist from Gabriel Magalhaes after just missing another chance two minutes earlier. The shot sailed just out of reach of the outstretched hand of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and into the net.

Kaishu Sano stole a misplaced pass in midfield before his right-footed shot from above the half-circle put Japan ahead after 29 minutes.

Vinicius Junior, who has scored four goals so far in the tournament, had a chance to put Brazil on top in the 58th minute, but his shot from the left was deflected by goalkeeper Suzuki and went past the far post.

Brazil had two chances to even the score early in the second half before breaking through late on. First, Suzuki blocked a header from Bruno Guimaraes in the 52nd minute. Soon after, Casemiro’s header bounced off a defender’s head and Suzuki’s face.

Japan have never won a World Cup knockout match.

The win was Brazil’s 12th in 15 games against Japan. The teams have also played to two draws, while Japan got their first win in the series in a friendly in Tokyo in October.

This was a match-up between two countries with deep ties, Brazil being home to about 2.7 million Japanese descendants, which is the largest Japanese population outside of Japan.

Those ties extend to football, where Brazil superstar Zico moved to Japan in 1991 to play for Kashima Antlers and help build Japan’s professional football network. He coached the Japan national team from 2002–06, leading the team to the World Cup in 2006.

That team lost to Brazil 4-1 in the only previous meeting between the teams at the World Cup.

Brazil won Group C after a draw with Morocco and victories over Haiti and Scotland.

Monday’s victory came on the anniversary of their first World Cup championship in Sweden in 1958, when a 17-year-old Pele scored two goals in the final against the host country.

Japan reached the round of 32 as runner-up in Group F after draws with the Netherlands and Sweden and a win over Tunisia. The loss snaps a 10-game unbeaten streak dating back to a 2-0 defeat to the United States in September.

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

Who: Brazil vs Japan
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – round of 32
Where: Houston Stadium, Houston, United States
When: Monday, June 29, at 12pm (17:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 14:00 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream.

Carlo Ancelotti faces his first major test as the Brazil coach when the record five-time world champions take on Japan, arguably the best Asian team at the tournament, in the round of 32.

Monday’s meeting in Houston offers Brazil the chance to exact revenge for their friendly defeat to Japan late last year, as the South American giants lock in on their target of a deep run in North America.

The odds are heavily in Brazil’s favour, but after Japan came out of a tricky group with flying colours, it would be foolish to write them off.

There is also a mutual respect and camaraderie between the nations, given the overwhelming Brazilian influence on professional football in Japan.

Al Jazeera tells you everything about the second game of the round of 32:

How did Brazil reach the round of 32?

The five-time world champions began the tournament with a 1-1 draw with Morocco before beating Haiti 3-0 next. A 3-0 win over Scotland in the final group game sent them to the top of Group C and sealed their place in the round of 32.

Of all the seven goals Brazil registered across three games, Real Madrid star forward Vinicius Jr scored four of them, while Matheus Cunha netted three. Bruno Guimaraes bagged the most assists (three).

Ancelotti in relaxed mood ahead of Japan clash

Since their low-key display in the first game, Brazil appear to be growing into the tournament, showing glimpses of their all-round potential, with some of the Selecao stars finding their rhythm.

Ancelotti knows Japan will be no pushovers, describing the record four-time Asian champions as “one of the best teams” in the world.

During Sunday’s pre-match press conference, the Italian was relaxed and betrayed no signs of feeling the pressure, despite Brazil being cast as the clear favourites for the knockout tie.

“We need a lot of things: A strong mind, a strong heart, a clear mind,” he told the media. “I think we have to be ready for anything that might take place in a knockout match, and a lot can happen in a knockout match.

“I think the team is ready. They’re motivated, they’re confident,” added Ancelotti, who is leading Brazil’s charge for a record-extending sixth world title.

How did Japan reach the round of 32?

Japan started their campaign by holding the Netherlands to a 2-2 draw before thrashing Tunisia 4-0 in the second game. They wrapped up the first round with a 1-1 draw with Sweden, which saw them finish with five points, confirming a second spot in Group F.

Ayase Ueda and Daichi Kamada are the joint top scorers for Japan so far, with two strikes each, while Keito Nakamura, Junya Ito and Daizen Maeda have also scored one each.

Dark horses Japan are ‘united’, says Moriyasu

Japan have lived up to their billing as the “dark horses” at the tournament, holding two formidable European sides – the Netherlands and Sweden – to draws.

After beating Germany and Spain en route to a round of 16 run at the 2022 World Cup, Japan have shown the world they are capable of pulling off upsets, especially on the sport’s biggest stage.

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said his side’s collective spirit can fire them into the last 16 again.

“All the players will do what they can for the team and contribute,” Moriyasu said on Sunday. “The team is united, and that feeling is getting even stronger now.”

Japan’s best finish at the World Cup has been reaching the round of 16 on four occasions: 2002, 2010, 2018 and 2022. They have never won a World Cup knockout game.

Brazil vs Japan: master vs the apprentice

Launched in 1993, Japan’s top-flight, the J-League, took much of its inspiration from Brazil and also employed plenty of their players.

Zico, the creative lynchpin of Brazil’s fabled 1982 World Cup team, was enticed out of retirement to join Kashima Antlers, while internationals Bismarck and Elivelton started a run ‌of Brazil national team players making the move to Japan.

By the late 1990s, seven of the Brazil team that won the 1994 World Cup, including captain Dunga, had played or were playing for Japanese clubs and, by extension, lent their influence to a rapidly developing scene.

Brazil vs Japan predictions

Opta’s supercomputer has calculated a 58.3 percent probability of Brazil winning this fixture in regulation time, while Japan is assessed an 18.1 percent chance of victory.

The probability of going to extra time – or potentially penalties – is 23.6 percent.

Who will the winner face in the round of 16?

The winner of Brazil vs Japan will face either Norway or the Ivory Coast in the round of 16.

Brazil vs Japan: Kickoff time, TV channel

• Brazil: CazeTV, TV Globo, GETV, Globoplay, sportv (2pm, Brasilia Time)
• Japan: NHKBS1, DAZN, Fuji TV  (2am on Tuesday, Japan Standard Time)
• United Kingdom: ITVX, ITV1, STV Player, STV (6pm, British Summer 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.

Brazil vs Japan: head-to-head

In the all-time head-to-head record, Brazil have only lost once to Japan (W11 D2 L1). In their only World Cup contest 20 years ago at Germany 2006, Brazil won 4-1.

Significantly, Japan’s sole victory over Brazil came in their most recent clash, a 3-2 victory in a friendly in October 2025 in which Brazil let a two-goal lead slip in Tokyo, with Ueda scoring the hosts’ winner.

Brazil vs Japan: Team news

Raphinha remains sidelined for Brazil due to a hamstring injury, while Japan’s Takefusa Kubo is out with a sprained knee.

Neymar, who made his first appearance for Brazil since October 2023 when he came off the bench in the last game, will be available to play more minutes against Japan. The star forward is working his way back to full fitness after dealing with a lingering calf injury.

Brazil’s predicted lineup

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

Japan’s predicted lineup

(3-4-2-1): Suzuki (goalkeeper); Tomiyasu, Taniguchi, Ito; Doan, Sano, Tanaka, Nakamura; Ito, Kamada; Ueda

South Korea’s dismal World Cup first-round exit has prompted fury at home, and calls for a complete overhaul at the top have not been silenced by coach Hong Myung-bo’s resignation.

South Korea, World Cup semifinalists as cohosts in 2002, limped out of the tournament after failing to squeeze into the knockout rounds as one of the top eight third-place finishers.

They had the last 32 within their reach only to suffer a shock 1-0 loss to lower-ranked South Africa.

Their early exit prompted coach Hong to quit on Sunday and cast doubt over the international future of captain Son Heung-min.

It also earned the team a rebuke from the country’s president, Lee Jae Myung, who pointed the finger at “incompetent people” and apologised to the nation.

The president’s comments reflect public anger that has reached a boiling point after years of simmering discontent with South Korean football chiefs.

Former captain Park Ji-sung said, “We may have expected this outcome years ago.

“We have to look back and ask ourselves why things have come to this,” the former Manchester United player said after the team’s elimination was confirmed.

“Even after spending a decade learning how to prepare for the World Cup and develop Korean football, we have forgotten those lessons once again.”

South Korea was expected to emerge from Group A that included cohosts Mexico, South Africa and Czechia.

They started with a 2-1 win over the Czechs but lost 1-0 to Mexico before bowing out against South Africa.

The team were expected to arrive home on Tuesday morning, but local media reported that the Korea Football Association (KFA) were not planning to organise an event to welcome them back.

In 2014, angry fans pelted the team with Korean candies – seen as a deeply offensive insult – when they returned from the World Cup in Brazil, where they went out in the group stage during Hong’s first spell as coach.

‘Message to change’

Hong has been a lightning rod for criticism since he returned to the job in July 2024, five months after his predecessor, German World Cup-winner Jurgen Klinsmann, was axed.

The KFA came under fire for the process that led to Hong’s reappointment, with questions asked over its transparency and fairness.

Hong, who was regularly booed by fans, did himself no favours at the World Cup by dropping star player Son for the South Africa game, in which South Korea needed only a point to progress.

Hong admitted afterwards that he was struggling to understand what had gone wrong, as the nation nervously waited for results in other games to decide their fate.

Lee Chun-soo, a member of the 2002 World Cup team, said he “felt pathetic and frustrated rooting for Uzbekistan” against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the hope that the result would send South Korea through.

“This is a message to change,” Lee said on his YouTube channel. “Everyone should be ready to step down.”

South Korean fans reserved a sizeable chunk of their anger for KFA President Chung Mong-gyu.

Chung said before the World Cup that he would quit after the tournament, blaming his “lack of virtue” following fierce criticism of his 13-year tenure.

The 65-year-old, who is in his fourth term as KFA president, came under fire for trying to pardon former players who were banned for life for match-fixing.

Chung and Hong might not be the only ones to bow out, with captain Son yet to comment on his future.

The skipper, who turns 34 next month, had previously hinted at retiring from international football.

Former captain Park said South Korea needed to learn from the past.

“It’s unfortunate that this kind of cycle keeps repeating,” he said.

“We must dream of and shape a better future, and move forward step by step so that we don’t repeat these mistakes.”

Canada beat South Africa 1-0 thanks to a stoppage-time strike by Stephen Eustaquio from distance to reach the World Cup last ​16 for the first time in their history.

From the prime minister to sport celebrities and fans on social media, Canadians have revelled in their team’s win.

Canada have enjoyed a historic run at the FIFA World Cup 2026, and it will continue thanks to Stephen Eustaquio’s 92nd-minute goal against South Africa, which sent the cohosts into the global tournament’s round of 16 for the first time.

The 29-year-old midfielder’s strike on Sunday rewrote Canadian football history, capping off a narrative that Jesse Marsch has been scripting since taking the reins two years ago.

“Think about how we talked about sticking to the plan, sticking to who we want to be, playing aggressive, accessing the quality, you guys showing your character,” an impassioned Marsch told his team as they circled around him on the pitch following their victory.

“You guys are Canadian heroes! Canadian heroes for the future children of this country, who play this sport. This sport has a big future because of you guys.

“You should be so proud of who you are. You should be so proud of this game. You went after it, moment after moment.”

The same words were echoed by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had barely exited his flight and watched the final minutes of the game on his phone.

“What a game. What a team. What a country,” Carney wrote on social media.

Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, where Eustaquio was born and raised before his family moved to Portugal, congratulated the team for advancing to the next round, as did Leader of the Opposition, Pierre Poilievre.

Mayor of Vancouver, Ken Sim, wrote to the team, saying: “You wore your hearts on your sleeves, gave everything on the field, and gave all of us a memory we’ll never forget.”

Social media was flooded with footage of Canada fans turning watch parties and fan festivals into a sea of red. Even Los Angeles Stadium, where Canada came down the West Coast to play South Africa, was thronged with fans supporting the World Cup cohosts.

Football enthusiasts and analysts on social media said the victory felt surreal for Canada, where sport like ice hockey, basketball and baseball enjoy far more popularity than football.

Fellow Canadian athletes joined in the social media celebrations. Multiple Olympic champion swimmer Summer McIntosh, tennis star Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Olympic champion runner Andre de Grasse were some of Canada’s top athletes to back the men’s football team after their win.

Famed Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield also congratulated the team after wishing them well earlier on Sunday.

FC Bayern congratulated Alphonso Davies for returning to international duty after he sustained a hamstring injury with them in May, during the UEFA Champions League semifinal. The game saw a noticeable shift in pace and tactic when Davies was subbed in on the 74th minute.

From the opponent’s side, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulated Canada for winning “with Bafana Bafana breathing down your necks”.

Former German footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger, however, who was called out by Ivory Coast manager Emerse Fae for racist undertones in his remarks on the African team, seemed unfazed by Canada’s historic win.

“Overall, not a convincing performance, but thanks to the clearer chances, progressing is fine. Alphonso Davies brought fresh wind after coming on as a substitute,” he wrote on social media.

“However, against the Netherlands or Morocco, the team will have to improve significantly.”