Erling Haaland scored a dramatic late winner as Norway defeated Ivory Coast 2-1 on Tuesday to book their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, where they will face Brazil.

Haaland struck in the 86th minute to seal Norway’s victory at Dallas Stadium, taking his tally to five goals at the tournament after Antonio Nusa had given the Scandinavians the lead before Amad Diallo equalised for Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast made the brighter start, with Nicolas Pépé and Ghislain Konan both testing the Norwegian defence during an energetic opening spell. Yan Diomande also created an opportunity for Pépé, but the winger was unable to convert.

The victory sets up an intriguing Round of 16 clash with five-time world champions Brazil in New York on Sunday, while Ivory Coast exit the tournament after a spirited knockout performance.

France, and Mexico advance as World Cup Round of 16 takes shape

In two other Round of 32 matches, France and Mexico also secured places in the last 16 after impressive knockout victories.

France produced one of the standout performances of the tournament with a commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden at MetLife Stadium. 

Kylian Mbappé starred with two goals, while Bradley Barcola also found the net as Les Bleus dominated from start to finish to book their place in the next round. 

France will now face Paraguay, who stunned Germany on penalties a day earlier, in a highly anticipated Round of 16 clash.

Mexico also delighted home supporters with a 2-0 victory over Ecuador at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City to keep their World Cup dream alive. 

The hosts controlled much of the contest and sealed their place in the Round of 16, where they will meet the winner of Wednesday’s clash between England and DR Congo.

With Canada, Paraguay, Morocco, Brazil, Norway, France and Mexico already through, attention now turns to Wednesday’s Round of 32 fixtures. England face DR Congo, Belgium take on Senegal, and the United States meet Bosnia and Herzegovina as the race for the remaining places in the last 16 continues.

Fans across Afghanistan can tune in to Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) to watch the matches live and exclusively across the country. Viewers are also encouraged to follow Ariana Television and Ariana News’ social media pages for the latest schedules and updates.

Paraguay produced one of the biggest upsets in FIFA World Cup history on Monday, defeating four-time champions Germany 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw to book their place in the Round of 16.

Germany struggled to find their rhythm in the opening half and fell behind in the 42nd minute when Julio Enciso headed home from a Matias Galarza cross to give Paraguay a deserved lead.

The Germans responded after the break, with Kai Havertz equalising in the 53rd minute, glancing a header into the net from Florian Wirtz’s cross.

Germany thought they had taken the lead later in the match when Jonathan Tah scored from a corner, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR review for a foul on Paraguay’s goalkeeper.

With neither side able to find a winner in extra time, the match was decided by penalties.

Germany endured a disastrous shootout, with Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah all missing from the spot. Paraguay also missed two penalties but held their nerve as Jose Canale converted the decisive kick to seal a famous victory.

Ranked 41st in the world before the tournament, Paraguay eliminated a German side ranked 10th, marking one of the greatest shocks ever seen in the World Cup knockout stages.

The defeat also ended Germany’s long-standing record of never losing a World Cup penalty shootout and continued a disappointing run at recent tournaments, with the 2014 champions again failing to make a deep run.

Paraguay will now face the winner of the Round of 32 clash between France and Sweden in the last 16 on July 4 in Philadelphia.

Canada secured a place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 for the first time in the men’s team’s history after Stephen Eustáquio scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner to seal a 1-0 victory over South Africa in Los Angeles on Sunday.

With extra time looming, Eustáquio struck from the edge of the penalty area deep into added time, sending Canadian players and supporters into celebration and ending South Africa’s impressive World Cup campaign.

The victory marks Canada’s first-ever win in the knockout stages of a men’s FIFA World Cup and continues a remarkable tournament for Les Rouges, who have surpassed all previous World Cup performances.

Captain Alphonso Davies made his long-awaited tournament debut after recovering from injury, entering the match as a substitute in the 75th minute. His introduction injected fresh energy into Canada’s attack as the North Americans increased the pressure during the closing stages before Eustáquio finally found the breakthrough.

South Africa defended resolutely for much of the contest and created several opportunities of their own, but were unable to find a way past the Canadian defence. Bafana Bafana’s elimination ends a memorable World Cup run after becoming one of the standout African teams in the group stage.

Canada will now face either Morocco or the Netherlands in the Round of 16 on July 4 in Houston, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

The result also represents another milestone for Canadian football. After enduring decades without a World Cup victory and suffering six consecutive defeats across previous appearances, the national team has now reached the last 16 for the first time and established itself among the tournament’s surprise packages.

The win sparked celebrations among Canadian supporters both in Los Angeles and at fan festivals across Canada, where thousands watched Eustáquio’s late strike secure one of the country’s most significant achievements in men’s football.

For South Africa, the defeat ends an inspiring campaign that captured the imagination of football fans across the African continent. Although Bafana Bafana fell just short of the Round of 16, their performances throughout the tournament highlighted the continued rise of African football on the global stage, with a record number of African nations reaching the knockout rounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The FIFA World Cup Round of 32 continues on Monday evening with two knockout matches in Afghanistan time. Brazil face Japan from 9pm and  Germany takes on Paraguay at 12.30am. Both winners will advance to the Round of 16. 

The Netherlands’ clash with Morocco will be played from 5.30am Kabul time, with the winner set to face Canada in the last 16. 

Fans can tune in to all three matches to watch all the thrills and spills unfold live and exclusively on Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN).