2026 World Cup: Canada, Paraguay bow out after Round of 16 defeats

Two countries have been knocked out in the opening matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 matches.

Co-hosts Canada and Paraguay exited after suffering defeats on Saturday.

Their campaigns came to an end following losses to Morocco and France, respectively.

Morocco booked a historic quarter-final spot with a commanding 3-0 victory over Canada.

France edged Paraguay 1-0 to secure the other quarter-final spot from Saturday’s fixtures.

Morocco’s win was inspired by Azzedine Ounahi, who scored twice, while Soufiane Rahimi added a third goal to complete a comprehensive victory and send the North Africans into the quarter-finals.

France, meanwhile, needed a second-half penalty from Kylian Mbappe to overcome Paraguay and continue their pursuit of a third World Cup title.

The victory set up a quarter-final clash between France and Morocco on Thursday, with a place in the semi-finals at stake.

The Round of 16 continues on Sunday, with five-time champions Brazil taking on Norway at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, while England face Mexico in another blockbuster tie at NRG Stadium in Houston.

Monday’s fixtures will feature an all-European showdown between Portugal and Spain at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, while hosts the United States will battle Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

The final Round of 16 matches are scheduled for Tuesday, with Argentina expected to face the winner of the remaining Round of 32 fixture involving Egypt, Australia and Cape Verde, while Switzerland will meet either Colombia or Ghana.

Quarter-final path

• Morocco vs France
• Winner of Brazil vs Norway vs Winner of England vs Mexico
• Winner of Portugal vs Spain vs Winner of United States vs Belgium
• Winner of Argentina/Egypt/Australia/Cape Verde vs Winner of Switzerland vs Colombia/Ghana

Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.

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