Knockout matches statesman with South Africa vs Canada arsenic Iran exit, Africa marque past and hopes for Messi-Ronaldo last rise.
The knockout signifier of the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins connected Sunday with South Africa taking connected Canada successful the archetypal circular of 32 tie.
With the radical signifier complete, the afloat knockout bracket is present set. Nine African nations person reached the circular of 32, Iran were eliminated aft Algeria’s precocious qualification and the gully has near the doorway unfastened to a Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo final.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 items- list 1 of 4Who’s playing whom successful the World Cup 2026 last-32 knockout phase?
- list 2 of 4DR Congo fans observe reaching World Cup knockout stage
- list 3 of 4South Africa and Canada unfastened World Cup circular of 32 – each to know
- list 4 of 4VIDEO: World Cup Day 17: Messi breaks record; DR Congo and Algeria advance
Here’s the afloat circular of 32 schedule, the South Africa vs Canada prediction and the latest World Cup news:
What is Sunday’s schedule?
- South Africa vs Canada astatine Los Angeles Stadium, California, successful the United States astatine noon (19:00 GMT).
What are the predictions for South Africa vs Canada?
This volition beryllium lone the 2nd gathering betwixt South Africa and Canada. The sides’ lone erstwhile brushwood ended successful a 2-0 triumph for Bafana Bafana successful a affable successful Durban successful 2007.
Canada, however, volition beryllium looking to extremity different unwanted record. They person mislaid some of their erstwhile competitory matches against African opposition, falling 2-0 to Cameroon astatine the 2001 Confederations Cup earlier a 2-1 decision to Morocco astatine the 2022 World Cup successful Qatar.
Despite that history, the Opta supercomputer shows Canada arsenic the wide favourites. They won 55 percent of 25,000 pre-match simulations portion South Africa triumphed successful 20 percent. The remaining 24.9 percent of its calculations ended level aft 90 minutes, which would nonstop the necktie to other clip and perchance penalties.
Overall, Canada are fixed a 67.8 percent accidental of reaching the quarterfinals, compared with 32.2 percent for South Africa.

When and wherever volition the different knockout matches beryllium played?
Monday
- Brazil vs Japan: (noon/17:00 GMT) astatine Houston Stadium, Texas, successful the US
- Germany vs Paraguay: (4:30pm/20:30 GMT) astatine Boston Stadium, Massachusetts, successful the US
- Netherlands vs Morocco: (7pm/01:00 GMT connected Tuesday) astatine Monterrey Stadium successful Mexico
Tuesday
- Ivory Coast vs Norway (noon/17:00 GMT) astatine Dallas Stadium, Texas, successful the US
- France vs Sweden (5pm/21:00 GMT) astatine New York/New Jersey Stadium successful the US
- Mexico vs Ecuador (7pm/02:00 GMT connected Wednesday) astatine Mexico City Stadium successful Mexico
Wednesday
- England vs Democratic Republic of the Congo (noon/16:00 GMT) astatine Atlanta Stadium, Georgia, successful the US
- Belgium vs Senegal (1pm/20:00 GMT) astatine Seattle Stadium successful the US authorities of Washington
- USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (5pm/00:00 GMT connected Thursday) astatine San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, California, successful the US
Thursday
- Spain vs Austria (noon/19:00 GMT) astatine Los Angeles Stadium
- Portugal vs Croatia (7pm/23:00 GMT) astatine Toronto Stadium, Ontario, Canada
- Switzerland vs Algeria (8pm/03:00 GMT connected Friday) astatine BC Place Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Friday
- Australia vs Egypt (1pm/18:00 GMT) astatine Dallas Stadium
- Argentina vs Cape Verde (6pm/22:00 GMT) astatine Miami Stadium, Florida, successful the US
- Colombia vs Ghana (8:30pm/01:30 GMT connected Saturday) astatine Kansas City Stadium, Missouri, successful the US
What other is happening?
Is Iran eliminated from the 2026 World Cup?
Yes. Iran person been eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Team Melli’s hopes depended connected the last Group J lucifer connected Saturday betwixt Austria and Algeria. A gully was the lone effect that could person knocked Iran out, and the 3-3 people meant that Algeria moved supra Iran successful the ranking of third-placed teams.
Algeria finished 3rd successful Group J connected 4 points, capable to instrumentality the last disposable spot among the 8 champion third-placed teams, which precocious to the circular of 32.
Iran, who had been holding the past qualifying spot, were, therefore, eliminated successful the radical stage.
Africa acceptable a caller World Cup record
African teams person enjoyed their champion ever men’s World Cup campaign.
A grounds 10 African nations qualified for the expanded 2026 tournament, and 9 person reached the circular of 32, the astir from the continent successful a azygous World Cup.
Those who qualified are: Algeria, Cape Verde, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal and South Africa.
Tunisia are the lone African broadside eliminated truthful far.
The occurrence builds connected Africa’s increasing power connected the satellite signifier aft Morocco’s historical tally to the 2022 semifinals. With much nations present consistently challenging football’s accepted powers, the continent is enjoying its strongest World Cup showing yet.
Lionel Messi, past of PSG, and Cristiano Ronaldo, portion of an accumulation Riyadh XI side, past played each different successful Riyadh, Saudi Arabia connected January 19, 2023 [EPA-EFE]Messi vs Ronaldo final?
A imaginable knockout clash betwixt superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo remains a anticipation – but lone if some captains pb their teams each the mode to the World Cup 2026 final.
With the circular of 32 bracket present confirmed, Argentina and Portugal are connected other sides of the draw, ruling retired the quarterfinal gathering galore fans had anticipated. That means football’s 2 top modern rivals tin look each different lone if some scope the last connected July 19.
The bracket has sparked wide absorption connected societal media, wherever fans person been sharing predictions, memes and hopeful scenarios for 1 past gathering betwixt the 2 icons, who are some playing successful their sixth World Cup.
.png)
2 hours ago
8
















Bengali (BD) ·
English (US) ·