The FIFA World Cup 2026 has entered the Round of 16, with the knockout bracket now taking shape as the remaining teams battle for a place in the final on July 19 in New Jersey.

France and Morocco became the first nations to book their quarter-final places on Saturday, while six more last-16 ties over the next three days will complete the quarter-final lineup.

Morocco produced one of the standout performances of the tournament with a convincing 3-0 victory over Canada in Houston, while France edged Paraguay 1-0 in Philadelphia thanks to another decisive display from Kylian Mbappe. The two sides will now meet in the first quarter-final on July 9 in Foxborough.

Sunday’s action sees five-time champions Brazil take on Norway in New Jersey, before England face hosts Mexico in Mexico City early on Monday in one of the most anticipated ties of the Round of 16. Later on Monday, European heavyweights Portugal and Spain renew their fierce rivalry in Arlington.

The remaining last-16 fixtures take place on Tuesday, with the United States facing Belgium in Seattle, defending champions Argentina meeting Egypt in Atlanta, and Switzerland taking on Colombia in Vancouver.

The quarter-finals begin on July 9, with France already confirmed to face Morocco. The winner of Brazil versus Norway will meet either Mexico or England, while Portugal or Spain will face either the United States or Belgium. On the opposite side of the bracket, Argentina or Egypt will meet Switzerland or Colombia for a place in the semi-finals.

The semi-finals are scheduled for July 14 in Arlington and July 15 in Atlanta, before the tournament concludes with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.

With traditional powerhouses including Brazil, Argentina, France, England, Spain and Portugal still in contention, alongside surprise challengers such as Morocco, Norway, Egypt and Colombia, the battle for football’s biggest prize is entering its decisive stage, with every remaining match now a winner-takes-all contest.

Herat Governor Noor Ahmad Islamjar met with Begenj Abdullayev, head of the TAPI project in Afghanistan and deputy consul of Turkmenistan in Herat, to discuss the progress of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project and ways to expand economic cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

The meeting, attended by the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ representative office in Herat, focused on accelerating the implementation of the TAPI project and strengthening bilateral economic ties.

During the talks, Islamjar proposed holding a joint Afghan-Turkmen trade exhibition in Afghanistan’s Torghundi border area and Turkmenistan’s Serhetabat. He said the exhibition could help boost trade relations, showcase domestic products, and enhance economic cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

Abdullayev thanked Herat’s local authorities for their continued support in advancing the TAPI project, describing their cooperation as instrumental in speeding up work on the key regional energy project.

He also welcomed the proposal for a joint trade exhibition, saying it would be shared with the relevant authorities in Turkmenistan for review before a decision is made on its implementation.

At the end of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continuing joint cooperation, expanding economic relations, and facilitating the effective implementation of shared development projects between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

The 1,814-kilometer TAPI gas pipeline, including 816 kilometers passing through Afghanistan to Pakistan, is designed to transport 33 billion cubic meters of gas annually. Over 90 kilometers of pipeline have already been installed in Herat.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Higher Education announced on Saturday that Neda Mohammad Nadeem, the minister of higher education, met with Alireza Bikdeli, Iran’s ambassador to Kabul, to discuss expanding academic cooperation between the two countries.

According to the ministry, Nadeem said during the meeting that Afghanistan and Iran are neighboring countries that need cooperation and constructive engagement with one another.

He also emphasized the importance of exchanging academic expertise between the two countries and reaffirmed the ministry’s readiness to expand academic ties with Iran.

Meanwhile, Bikdeli expressed appreciation for Afghanistan’s recent stance toward Iran and announced his country’s readiness to strengthen educational relations, academic cooperation, and the exchange of expertise with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Higher Education.