World Cup 2026: Round of 16 Confirmed – All Asian Teams Eliminated

Tournament roundup: The 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16 is now complete after a dramatic final day of knockout-stage qualifiers. Defending champions Argentina survived a major scare against World Cup debutants Cape Verde, edging through 3-2 after extra time. Egypt made history by defeating Australia on penalties to secure their first-ever knockout-stage victory, while Colombia grabbed the last remaining spot with a gritty 1-0 win over Ghana.

For the first time in a 48-team tournament, Asia sent nine representatives, but only Japan and Australia advanced beyond the group phase. Both fell at the first knockout hurdle – Japan lost to a powerful Norway side, and Australia's penalty shootout defeat to Egypt meant that no Asian team remains in the competition. Meanwhile, Cape Verde's heroic performance against Argentina, in which they twice came from behind before conceding a heartbreaking own goal, earned widespread admiration and proved that the expanded tournament format has brought new competitive depth to the world stage.

Round of 16 lineup: Canada, Brazil, Paraguay, Morocco, Norway, France, Mexico, England, Belgium, USA, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Egypt, Argentina, Colombia.

Up next: The round of 16 kicks off on July 5 with Canada facing Morocco, followed by a heavyweight clash between Brazil and Norway later in the day.