Mexico became the seventh nation to reach the knockout phase of the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday, defeating ten-man Ecuador 2-0 at the Estadio Azteca to join Canada as the second co-host in the last sixteen. The result, secured by first-half goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, completed a frantic opening sequence of the new 32-team knockout round and left the tournament with three confirmed Round-of-16 fixtures: Paraguay versus France, Canada against Morocco, and Brazil taking on Norway.

Viewed from European capitals, the defining images of the round so far have been the penalty shootout exits of two former champions. Paraguay, who had laboured through the group stage as a third-place qualifier, held Germany to a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes before prevailing 4-3 on spot-kicks, with goalkeeper Orlando Gill emerging as the hero. Hours later, Morocco repeated the formula, eliminating the Netherlands by the same 4-3 margin after an identical 1-1 stalemate. In South America, the Paraguayan performance was hailed as a triumph of defensive organisation and resilience, while analysts in Europe noted that the Dutch and German departures marked the first time both nations had fallen before the last sixteen in the same tournament.

France offered a stark contrast, dismantling Sweden 3-0 at the MetLife Stadium with a display of attacking precision. Kylian Mbappé scored twice, taking his tournament tally to six goals, and Bradley Barcola added a third as Les Bleus cruised into a meeting with Paraguay. Norway, meanwhile, needed a late winner from Erling Haaland to edge Ivory Coast 2-1 in Dallas, the Manchester City striker pouncing on a defensive lapse in the 86th minute to set up a clash with Brazil. The Brazilians had earlier survived a scare against Japan, coming from behind to win 2-1 thanks to Gabriel Martinelli’s dramatic late strike, a result that drew sighs of relief from a nation still calibrating its expectations under Carlo Ancelotti.

The list of eliminated teams now stands at seven: South Africa, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Ivory Coast, Sweden, and Ecuador. Canada had opened the knockout phase with a narrow 1-0 victory over South Africa, a result that, viewed from African football circles, underscored the continent’s struggle to convert group-stage promise into knockout wins. Japan’s exit, after leading Brazil at half-time, was met with a mixture of pride and frustration in East Asia, where the Samurai Blue’s inability to hold a lead against elite opposition remains a recurring theme.

Mexico’s victory leaves them waiting for the winner of England’s meeting with the Democratic Republic of Congo, while the remaining Round-of-32 ties—including Belgium versus Senegal and the United States against Bosnia and Herzegovina—will complete the bracket by Friday. The three confirmed last-sixteen encounters are scheduled for 4 and 5 July, with Paraguay facing France in Philadelphia, Canada meeting Morocco in Houston, and Brazil taking on Norway in New Jersey.