World Cup 2026: Knockout Stage Begins with 32 Teams, Iran Eliminated, Africa Sets Record
Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English
The knockout stage of FIFA World Cup 2026 begins Sunday with South Africa vs. Canada. Iran has been eliminated after Algeria secured the final round-of-32 spot, while nine African teams advance—a record. The draw also opens the possibility of a Messi vs. Ronaldo final.
The knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 begins on Sunday (June 21) with the first match of the round of 32: South Africa vs. Canada at Los Angeles Stadium in California (USA), kicking off at 12:00 local time (19:00 GMT).
With the group stage complete, the full bracket for the elimination rounds has been determined. Nine African teams advanced to the round of 32—the highest number ever for a single continent in World Cup history. Iran was eliminated after Algeria secured the last spot among the best third-placed teams.
The draw also set the stage for a potential final showdown between superstars Lionel Messi (Argentina) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal). With Argentina and Portugal placed on opposite sides of the bracket, they can only meet if both reach the final on July 19.
Round of 32 Fixtures
Monday (June 22)
- Brazil vs. Japan – 12:00/17:00 GMT, Houston Stadium (Texas, USA)
- Germany vs. Paraguay – 16:30/20:30 GMT, Boston Stadium (Massachusetts, USA)
- Netherlands vs. Morocco – 19:00/01:00 GMT (June 23), Monterrey Stadium (Mexico)
Tuesday (June 23)
- Ivory Coast vs. Norway – 12:00/17:00 GMT, Dallas Stadium (Texas, USA)
- France vs. Sweden – 17:00/21:00 GMT, New York/New Jersey (USA)
- Mexico vs. Ecuador – 19:00/02:00 GMT (June 24), Mexico City Stadium (Mexico)
Wednesday (June 24)
- England vs. DR Congo – 12:00/16:00 GMT, Atlanta Stadium (Georgia, USA)
- Belgium vs. Senegal – 13:00/20:00 GMT, Seattle Stadium (Washington, USA)
- USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina – 17:00/00:00 GMT (June 25), San Francisco Bay Area (California, USA)
Thursday (June 25)
- Spain vs. Austria – 12:00/19:00 GMT, Los Angeles Stadium
- Portugal vs. Croatia – 19:00/23:00 GMT, Toronto Stadium (Ontario, Canada)
- Switzerland vs. Algeria – 20:00/03:00 GMT (June 26), BC Place Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada)
Friday (June 26)
- Australia vs. Egypt – 13:00/18:00 GMT, Dallas Stadium
- Argentina vs. Cape Verde – 18:00/22:00 GMT, Miami Stadium (Florida, USA)
- Colombia vs. Ghana – 20:30/01:30 GMT (June 27), Kansas City (Missouri, USA)
South Africa vs. Canada: Pre-match Preview
This is only the second meeting between the two sides. Their only previous encounter was a friendly in 2007 in Durban, which South Africa won 2-0.
Canada will look to end their losing streak against African opponents. The team lost 0-2 to Cameroon at the 2001 Confederations Cup and 1-2 to Morocco at the 2022 World Cup.
Despite this, Opta's supercomputer rates Canada as the stronger candidate: in 55% of 25,000 match simulations, Canada wins, while South Africa wins only 20%. A draw after 90 minutes occurs in 24.9% of simulations, leading to extra time and potentially penalties. Overall, Canada has a 67.8% chance of reaching the quarter-finals, compared to 32.2% for South Africa.
Iran Eliminated After Austria-Algeria Draw
Iran has been officially eliminated from the 2026 World Cup. In the final match of Group J, a 3-3 draw between Austria and Algeria lifted Algeria above Iran in the standings for the best third-placed teams.
Algeria finished third in Group J with 4 points—enough to claim the final spot in the round of 32. Iran, which had previously held that position, is out.
Africa Sets World Cup Record
With 10 teams participating in the first expanded World Cup, Africa has placed 9 representatives in the round of 32—the highest number ever from a single continent in a World Cup. The teams are: Algeria, Cape Verde, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, and South Africa. Tunisia is the only African nation eliminated.
This achievement builds on Africa's momentum, following Morocco's semi-final run at the 2022 World Cup. With more teams from the continent competing against traditional powers, African football is enjoying its most successful World Cup ever.
Potential Messi-Ronaldo Final
After the draw, many fans hoped for a quarter-final showdown between Argentina and Portugal, but the two teams ended up on opposite sides of the bracket. This means Messi and Ronaldo—both playing in their sixth World Cup—can only meet if their teams reach the final on July 19.
The news has sparked excitement on social media, where fans share predictions, memes, and dream scenarios of a final reunion between the two football legends.
