Welcome to TNIE's live coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
The Round of 32 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 concluded in dramatic fashion, with defending champions Argentina surviving a spirited challenge from World Cup debutants Cabo Verde to prevail in extra time and seal their place in the Round of 16.
Day 23 of the knockout stage also witnessed Egypt script history as they beat Australia 4-2 on penalties to reach the last 16 for the first time. The standout moment came when Mohamed Salah coolly converted an audacious Panenka in the shootout.
Argentina needed a 111th-minute own goal from Diney Borges to edge past a fearless Cabo Verde side that came agonisingly close to producing one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
Elsewhere, Colombia dominated Ghana, registering eight shots on target, but Jhon Arias' early strike proved enough to send Los Cafeteros through to the Round of 16.
Attention now turns to the Round of 16, where co-hosts Canada face Morocco before France take on Paraguay in two intriguing contests for places in the quarterfinals.
Here are Day 24's fixtures (all times in IST):
Canada vs Morocco — 10:30 pm
Paraguay vs France — 2:30 am
France are bracing for furnace-like temperatures when they face Paraguay in Philadelphia in the World Cup's last 16 on Saturday as co-hosts Canada prepare for a daunting date with African giants Morocco in Houston.
With a brutal heatwave roasting swathes of the United States as it celebrates July 4th, Les Bleus take on Paraguay at Lincoln Financial Field against a backdrop of extreme heat warnings.
Temperatures in the Pennsylvania metropolis touched 38 degrees Celsius (101 Fahrenheit) on Friday, and the US National Weather Service are warning of more of the same on Saturday when the game kicks off at 5:00pm local time.
France coach Didier Deschamps said his team will be prepared for the conditions.
"It is something we need to take into account, but I think every team has prepared for it. It can have an impact on all the teams," said Deschamps.
"This will be our fifth game at the tournament and that will have an impact as well, but I am not fixated on the heat."
Ça bosse avec sérieux sous 37°C 👊🥵 pic.twitter.com/10uBU3KKOn
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) July 2, 2026
التركيز الآن على مواجهة كندا 💪
— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) July 2, 2026
Full focus now on Canada 🇨🇦#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/xrs6qubcnr
Erling Haaland has feasted on defences throughout the World Cup, and Norway will need their talismanic striker at his ruthless best if they are to topple Brazil in Sunday's last-16 clash.
Haaland's late winner against Ivory Coast -- his fifth goal at the tournament -- secured Norway's first victory in a World Cup knockout game, marking a memorable return to the global stage after a 28-year absence.
Now they are hoping to repeat their famous 1998 group-stage victory over five-time world champions Brazil and earn a place in the quarter-finals.
Haaland may have rated Norway's chances of defeating Brazil as "very small" but history offers encouragement.
The Norwegians have never lost to the Selecao, with two wins and two draws from their four previous meetings.
"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 quarter-finals," said Solbakken.
"It's possible, but it's very difficult."
Africa set a record by sending nine of its teams to the knockout rounds of the World Cup.
Seven of them were KO'd in the first round.
Ghana was the last African team to play in the Round of 32 on Friday night, and the white-clad Black Stars went down with a whimper in a 1-0 loss to Colombia. That left only Morocco, which made a surprising run to the semifinals four years ago in Qatar, and Egypt to carry the hopes of the continent when they play for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Morocco faces Canada in the first Round of 16 matchup on Saturday in Houston. Egypt survived a shootout with Australia earlier on Friday to earn a date with Lionel Messi and defending champion Argentina on Tuesday in Atlanta.
La Albirroja está lista para otro gran desafío 🙌
— Selección Paraguaya (@Albirroja) July 4, 2026
La Selección Paraguaya completó su última práctica en Philadelphia y afrontará este sábado el compromiso frente a Francia con la ilusión de seguir avanzando en la Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026.
Los detalles: 🗞️… pic.twitter.com/Q2daIHvTTc
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed he’s in negotiations to take over as Germany coach and says he’s “recharged” the energy he was missing when he left Liverpool.
Klopp is the German football federation’s preferred candidate after Julian Nagelsmann resigned Friday, four days after Germany lost on penalties to Paraguay in the World Cup round of 32.
“Julian has stepped down, and the (federation) is working on the succession and has approached me in the course of those considerations,” said Klopp, speaking from New York on German broadcaster Magenta TV in his role as a World Cup commentator late Friday.
A "proud" Canada became the first of the co-hosts to exit the World Cup as a clinical Morocco won 3-0 to reach the quarter-finals on Saturday in Houston.
The 2022 semi-finalists Morocco will face title favourites France or Paraguay as the business end of the tournament in North America approaches.
After a first half littered with more bookings than shots and with Canada on top, midfielder Azzedine Ounahi fired the opener on 50 minutes.
Canada -- playing the biggest game in their footballing history -- pushed for an equaliser, but Ounahi scored his second to finally see off the resistance of Jesse Marsch's men.
Substitute Soufiane Rahimi slipped in the third with the last kick of the match.
Marsch said: "What a privilege our fans have had to root on a team like this -- that goes after the game, does not play defensive.
"We have to be in these situations more and more and find ways to succeed, and we have to build from that.
"As good as Morocco are, I'd rather be us. I'm really proud of our guys. We went after the game and they are really hurting right now, but I couldn't be prouder."
Morocco make history, again! 🇲🇦
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) July 4, 2026
They have become the first African country to reach back-to-back quarter-finals at the men’s @FIFAWorldCup 🤝 pic.twitter.com/PGDiblOYQO
Kylian Mbappe scored from the penalty spot as France overcame searing heat and stubborn defence to beat Paraguay 1-0 and set up a World Cup quarter-final against Morocco on Saturday.
France captain Mbappe coolly stroked in a 70th-minute spot-kick to settle a tense duel with the tough-tackling Paraguayans in furnace-like conditions at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field.
The goal was Mbappe's seventh at the tournament, putting him alongside Argentina's Lionel Messi in the race for the tournament's Golden Boot.
Paraguay, who pulled off a massive upset in the last 32 by ousting four-time champions Germany on penalties, frustrated France for long periods with an ultra-disciplined defensive effort.
Mbappe stepped up and converted with aplomb to settle a match played in temperatures of around 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) as a heatwave roasted the northeastern United States as it celebrated the July 4 holiday.
"We knew what sort of match we were in for, but I think today went really well," Mbappe said after an ill-tempered affair that saw three France players pick up yellow cards.
"They thought we'd turn up in tuxedos, that we'd just come to pull off some spectacular moves," Mbappe added.
"But we know how to play the dirty game too. And we did that today; we won, and even in that respect we were better than them."
On continue !! 🇫🇷💪 pic.twitter.com/ERxE00kpUu
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) July 5, 2026
Canada had never won a World Cup game prior to this edition, but as co-hosts with the United States and Mexico they won two matches, and reached the knockout rounds during a historic run.
"Before the tournament, if we would have said we're in the last 16, I think we would have been pretty satisfied," said the American Marsch.
"And by the way, before today, if someone said your team was gonna play like that, I would have said, 'Okay, there's a good chance we're going to win the match'.
"But we totally, totally controlled the first half. And even at the start of the second half we were the aggressor, we were the ones that controlled the match. We were the ones that were more likely to score."
It did not turn out like that, with midfielder Azzedine Ounahi scoring twice before Soufiane Rahimi netted a third for Morocco with the last kick of the game.
Marsch, who oversaw wins over Qatar in the group phase and then South Africa in the last 32, added: "The way we pushed, the way we were in the match, the quality we showed, the overall impact in the match, we were better."
Thank you, Canada ❤️#CANMNT pic.twitter.com/E6D1bp6DkE
— CANMNT (@CANMNT_Official) July 4, 2026
