Colombia defeated Ghana 1-0 to secure the final spot in the Round of 16. Here are the matchups in the order they will be played and what I think about each.
Canada vs. Morocco — July 4 at 1 p.m. ET
Morocco are the favorites in this match. They have a strong defense and speed on the wings. The toughest matches Canada has played were against Switzerland and South Africa, both of which they won. They are in good form but I do not think they are quite ready for what Morocco has in store.
I think Morocco will be the ones to advance.
Paraguay vs. France — July 4 at 5 p.m. ET
Paraguay just pulled off one of the upsets of the tournament by defeating Germany on penalties in their Round of 32 matchup.
That being said, France are one of the favorites to win the tournament and are in superb shape, averaging three goals a game. Their top three of Mbappé, Dembélé and Olise have been unstoppable, with the first two still in contention for top scorer of the tournament.
I think if France takes Paraguay seriously and does not start out slow, they should be the ones advancing.
Brazil vs. Norway — July 5 at 4 p.m. ET
Brazil are always the favorites given their history and experience in the tournament, but are still figuring out their form. They were able to complete the comeback against Japan which was a good test but they have yet to fully incorporate Neymar back into the squad which I think will make a huge difference.
Norway is in good form and has the advantage on set pieces given their overall height. Haaland has been in great form and is another contender for the top scorer of the tournament.
I think if Brazil can limit the amount of crosses and corners, they should be the ones to advance.
Mexico vs. England — July 5 at 8 p.m. ET
This is one of the more even matchups of the Round of 16. Mexico are in great form and have home-field advantage.
England are in decent form but has not quite kicked it up to the level they will need to be at if they wish to keep advancing. Harry Kane, also a contender for top scorer, has been the main reason they are still in the running. I think set pieces will be a major key for England in this game.
Portugal vs. Spain — July 6 at 3 p.m. ET
This is another very even matchup. I think Portugal are finding their form, and being able to secure their win over Croatia with Ronaldo having been subbed off beforehand was a good boost for them.
Spain are one of the favorites to win the tournament but they have not been in the best of form. They have been winning but their last match was the first comfortable win they have had this tournament.
USA vs. Belgium — July 6 at 8 p.m. ET
The last time these two faced each other in the World Cup, Belgium won 2-1 and Tim Howard set the record for most saves in a World Cup match. The U.S. are in great form and will not want a repeat of their 2014 World Cup matchup.
Belgium are improving but are still not playing with the confidence they normally possess. I think Belgium are the slight favorites but if the USA advances it would not be a big shock either.
Argentina vs. Egypt — July 7 at 12 p.m. ET
Argentina are the clear favorites, although they have not made winning look the easiest as of late. They barely won against Cabo Verde in extra time, which was the best match of the tournament so far. However they do have Messi who is the top scorer of the tournament as of now as long as the team keep setting him up, he will not be slowing down anytime soon.
Egypt are a good team and their confidence has been growing with each win. The furthest they have ever made it in a World Cup is the Round of 16; something they will be looking to improve on this time around. I still think Argentina should advance.
Switzerland vs. Colombia — July 7 at 4 p.m. ET
Switzerland finished at the top of their group and have been in good form, with their last win being a comfortable 2-0 against Algeria. I think they are a tough team to beat and should not be underestimated.
Colombia are the favorites here. They have been picking up pace with each game, with both Luis Díaz and Daniel Muñoz being in impeccable form. I think if they continue playing the way they have been, they will advance here and potentially make it even further in the tournament.
As always, stay tuned to Futbolhijo.com for in-depth coverage of the biggest World Cup yet. Check back for my next article, where I will be covering matches and news that occur throughout the tournament. You can also read my previous article where I broke down Argentina’s advancement.
Cover Photo. Screenshot of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 bracket. Source: Fox coverage of the World Cup
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