As the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted across North America enters its knockout stage, Thursday July 2 brings a stacked slate of Round of 32 fixtures featuring three high-profile matches across three host cities, alongside a wave of off-field drama, stunning comebacks and unforgettable fan moments that have already defined this tournament.
Three blockbuster matches are on the day’s schedule, kicking off with Spain against Austria at Los Angeles Stadium at 16:00 local time. Spain enters the clash as heavy favorites to book a spot in the Round of 16, holding an undefeated streak across their last five head-to-head meetings with Austria, including a string of convincing recent wins. But the early knockout round has already served up no shortage of shocking upsets, serving as a clear warning that no result can be taken for granted.
Next, Portugal will face Croatia at Toronto Stadium in Ontario, Canada at 20:00 local time. Portugal has historically dominated this matchup, losing just once across 10 total meetings, and remains undefeated in six competitive encounters – with five wins and one draw. Like Spain, they enter the match as the clear favorite to advance to the next round.
The day’s final fixture kicks off just after midnight on Friday at Vancouver’s BC Place in British Columbia, Canada, where Switzerland will take on Algeria. This will mark the first competitive meeting between the two nations, though they have faced off twice in friendly matches, with Switzerland claiming 2-1 and 2-0 wins in 1983 and 1986 respectively.
Heading into Thursday’s fixtures, 10 nations have already secured their place in the Round of 16: host nation Canada (1-0 winners over South Africa), Brazil (2-1 victors against Japan), Paraguay (who knocked out Germany on penalties after a 1-1 draw), Morocco (also advancing via penalties against the Netherlands following a 1-1 draw), Norway (2-1 winners over Ivory Coast), France (3-0 against Sweden), Mexico (2-0 against Ecuador), England (2-1 against DR Congo) and the United States (2-0 over Bosnia and Herzegovina). All 10 of their beaten opponents have already been eliminated from the tournament.
One of the most dramatic matches of the early knockout round came in England’s clash with DR Congo, where captain Harry Kane stole the show with a late match-winning brace to secure his side’s place in the next round. Thomas Tuchel’s England side, who are chasing their first major international title in 60 years, looked set for a stunning early exit after DR Congo’s Brian Cipenga opened the scoring early in the match. But Kane turned the game on its head with two late goals, sealing a 2-1 comeback win that sent fans around the world into celebration, with his heroic performance going viral across social media immediately after the final whistle. After the match, both England players and fans joined together to sing the iconic British Britpop track *Wonderwall* by Oasis to mark their dramatic escape – one of many memorable musical fan moments that have emerged as a defining feature of this World Cup. From the rhythmic rowing-style chants of Norway’s supporters to American fans belting out *Country Roads, Take Me Home*, fan singing has become just as big a part of the tournament’s identity as the action on the pitch.
Beyond the on-pitch action, a number of off-field stories have captured global attention this week. After being eliminated from the tournament, the Iranian national team received a warm, enthusiastic reception from hundreds of fans upon their return to Tehran, with locals praising the team’s effort in the face of difficult circumstances. “Their performance was truly excellent,” said Tehran local Zahra Hosseini. “They played really well on a stage that has never wished us well. That’s why I came here to tell each of them they were fantastic.”
In Toronto, all eyes are on Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who sparked fan frenzy when he arrived in the city ahead of Thursday’s clash with Croatia, with thousands of fans turning out to catch a glimpse of the captain. With the tournament drawing into its later stages, this match could be one of Ronaldo’s last ever World Cup appearances. On Wednesday, hundreds of fans lined highways, packed downtown streets, climbed viewpoint landmarks and leaned out of high-rise windows all to see the Portuguese icon as the team’s convoy traveled through the city. This is Ronaldo’s first visit to Toronto since 2009, when he played a pre-season friendly with Real Madrid against Toronto FC at the same stadium that will host Thursday’s knockout match. A local public holiday amplified the excitement, drawing even larger crowds eager to see the football icon ahead of what could be a historic match. The huge demand to see Ronaldo in action has sent resale ticket prices for the Portugal-Croatia match skyrocketing, with average prices on secondary platforms now exceeding $3,000 USD.
Tragedy struck in Mexico City this week after Mexico secured their spot in the Round of 16 with a 2-0 win over Ecuador. Four people died during victory celebrations at the city’s iconic Angel of Independence monument, where thousands of fans had gathered to mark the win. Three victims were found unconscious at the site, while a fourth died later in hospital from a medical emergency. Local authorities say emergency services responded quickly but were unable to save the victims, and investigations into the causes of death are ongoing.
Another major controversy has emerged from Wednesday’s Round of 32 clash between Senegal and Belgium. Senegal held a 2-0 lead going into the 85th minute, but Belgium scored two late goals to force extra time, before a Youri Tielemans penalty – awarded after a VAR review – sealed a 3-2 comeback win for Belgium that sent them through to the Round of 16, where they will face the United States on Monday July 6. After the match, Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw described football as a “cruel game” following his side’s late collapse, saying that the team strongly disputed the penalty decision. “There was no foul, there should have been no penalty,” he said, noting that the call changed the entire outcome of the match. Senegal defender Krepin Diatta added that the side “lost focus” in the final minutes, admitting that the team had failed to achieve their goal despite a strong overall performance.