By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 line-up was completed on Friday after Argentina, Egypt and Colombia emerged victorious in the final three Round of 32 matches, setting the stage for an exciting knockout phase featuring several heavyweight clashes and a few surprise contenders.
Defending champions Argentina survived a spirited challenge from World Cup debutants Cape Verde, registering a hard-fought 3-2 victory to keep their title defence on track. Lionel Scaloni’s side was tested throughout the contest but did enough to book a last-16 date with Egypt.
Egypt scripted history by claiming their first-ever World Cup knockout victory, defeating Australia 4-2 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 following extra time. Led by Mohamed Salah, the Pharaohs held their nerve from the spot to set up a mouth-watering clash with Argentina.
Colombia completed the final qualification after edging Ghana 1-0 in a tightly contested encounter. The South Americans continued their impressive run in the tournament and will now face Switzerland in the Round of 16.
The confirmed Round of 16 fixtures are: Canada vs Morocco (Saturday today 10.30 pm IST), Paraguay vs France on Saturday (Sunday 2.30 am IST), Brazil vs Norway on Sunday (Monday 6 July 1.30 am IST), Mexico vs England on Sunday (Monday 6 July 5.30 am IST), Portugal vs Spain on Monday (Tuesday 7 Jul 5.30 am IST), US vs Belgium on Monday (Tuesday 7 Jul 5.30 am IST), Argentina vs Egypt on Tuesday (Jul 7, 9.30 pm IST) and Switzerland vs Colombia.
Several traditional football powers have safely progressed, including Brazil, France, Spain, Portugal, England and Argentina, while surprise packages Morocco, Paraguay, Norway, Egypt and Colombia have added an unpredictable edge to the knockout stage. Germany, the Netherlands, Croatia, Sweden, Australia, Ghana, Ecuador, Japan, Senegal, Austria and Cape Verde are among the teams eliminated.
With the field now narrowed to 16 teams, the tournament enters its decisive phase where every match is likely to be an intense battle.
Blockbuster encounters such as Portugal versus Spain, Mexico against England and Argentina versus Egypt promise high drama as the race for football’s biggest prize intensifies.