In a thrilling Round of 32 clash in Dallas, Egypt defeated Australia 1-1 (4-2 on penalties), advancing to the Round of 16 for the first time in their history.
Captain Mohamed Salah inspired the Pharaohs, who held their nerve in the shootout despite a dramatic equalizer.
Meanwhile, debutants Cabo Verde fell to Argentina, and Ghana were eliminated by Colombia, ending their knockout campaigns.
Round of 16 Fixtures
Canada vs Morocco – Houston
Paraguay vs France – Philadelphia
Brazil vs Norway – New York/New Jersey
Egypt vs Winner of Argentina/Cabo Verde – Atlanta
Switzerland vs Winner of Colombia/Ghana – Vancouver
And other matchups including Belgium vs USMNT.
Top Scorers Chart (Golden Boot Race)
Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 7 goals
Kylian Mbappé (France) – 6 goals
Erling Haaland (Norway) – 5 goals
Harry Kane (England) – 5 goals
Ousmane Dembélé (France), Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain), Vinícius Júnior (Brazil), Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal) – 4 goals each.
Golden Glove Race (Top Goalkeepers)
Mostafa Ahmed Shobeir (Egypt) leads with high save percentage and ratings.
Strong contenders: Raul Rangel (Mexico), Diogo Costa (Portugal), Mike Maignan (France).
African Teams Left and Deep Run Chances
Morocco and Egypt are through to the last 16. The Atlas Lions, semi-finalists in 2022, remain a top threat with their organization and counter-attacking strength.
Egypt, buoyed by Salah’s leadership and defensive resilience, could surprise further.
With Cabo Verde and Ghana out, Africa’s hopes rest on these two.
Morocco has the edge for a quarter-final or deeper run, while Egypt’s momentum makes them dangerous dark horses in a wide-open bracket. Africa continues to shine on the global stage.
Stay tuned for more 2026 FIFA World Cup updates.
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