The FIFA World Cup 2026 is once again giving complete football entertainment. As the Group Stage has finished, the Round of 32 is underway, featuring some of the excellent matchups so far. Mainly, the Japan vs Brazil, Morocco vs Netherlands, and Portugal vs Croatia are clashes of giants. On the other hand, Germany, Norway, and France are facing tier-2 nations with a respectable depth. With Canada already qualifying for the Round of 16, the race for the next level is intense. Above all, the Cape Verde vs Argentina clash is the main highlight of the round. The first-time World Cup participant shut three big teams in the Group Stage with their terrific offense and equalizing nature. Could the giants survive the Round of 32? Let’s see it in the FIFA World Cup predictions below.
Canada Beats South Africa – First Knockout of FIFA World Cup 2026
Canada has officially knocked South Africa out of the competition in the Round of 32. The 1-0 thriller was a seat-edge feast for fans as neither side scored until 90 minutes. It was anticipated that the penalty rounds would take place. However, Stephen Eustáquio scored the decider in the 90+2 extra time, sending South Africa home. This win by Canada, one of the host nations, has given them hope of progressing further.
FIFA World Cup Round of 32 – Upcoming Fixtures
Brazil vs Japan
Date: 29 June 2026
Time: 10:30 pm IST | 01:00 pm ET
Venue: Houston Stadium
Germany vs Paraguay
Date: 29 June 2026
Time: 02:00 am IST (Next Day) | 04:30 pm ET
Venue: Boston Stadium
Netherlands vs Morocco
Date: 29 June 2026
Time: 06:30 am IST (Next Day) | 09:00 pm ET
Venue: Monterrey Stadium
Ivory Coast vs Norway
Date: 30 June 2026
Time: 10:30 pm IST | 01:00 pm ET
Venue: Dallas Stadium
France vs Sweden
Date: 30 June 2026
Time: 02:30 am IST (Next Day) | 05:00 pm ET
Venue: New York New Jersey Stadium
Mexico vs Ecuador
Date: 30 June 2026
Time: 06:30 am IST (Next Day) | 09:00 pm ET
Venue: Mexico City Stadium
FIFA World Cup – Upcoming Fixtures and Expert Picks
Brazil vs Japan Prediction
Expected Starting Lineup for Brazil
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Alisson
Defenders
Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Douglas Santos
Midfielders
Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães, Lucas Paquetá
Forwards
Rayan, Matheus Cunha, Vinícius Júnior
Expected Starting Lineup for Japan
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Zion Suzuki
Defenders
Hiroki Ito, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ko Itakura
Midfielders
Ritsu Doan, Ao Tanaka, Daichi Kamada, Keito Nakamura
Forwards
Junya Ito, Daizen Maeda, Ayase Ueda
Prediction
Under Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil finished the Group Stage with 2 wins and a draw. Particularly, Vinicius Junior’s offensive game is out of this world. He scored four goals in three appearances, highlighting the striker’s attacking efficiency. Conversely, Japan has a good but comparatively underwhelming squad. They have a good clutch performance. However, Brazil’s squad is deeper than Japan’s. So, Brazil is predicted to win.
Pick: Brazil.
Germany vs Paraguay Prediction
Expected Starting Lineup for Germany
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Manuel Neuer
Defenders
Joshua Kimmich, Antonio Rüdiger, Jonathan Tah, Nathaniel Brown
Defensive Midfielders
Felix Nmecha, Aleksandar Pavlović
Attacking Midfielders
Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz
Forwards
Kai Havertz
Expected Starting Lineup for Paraguay
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Orlando Gill
Defenders
Juan José Cáceres, Gustavo Velázquez, Júnior Alonso, Fabian Balbuena
Midfielders
Miguel Almirón, Andrés Cubas, Matías Galarza, Mauricio
Forwards
Julio Enciso, Gabriel Ávalos
Prediction
Germany opened the game with a 7-1 win against Curacao. They won twice and lost once in the Group Stage. Germany has lethal offensive threats like Kai Havertz, Florian Wirtz, and Jamal Musiala. They have been incredibly great in playmaking and finishing. Meanwhile, Paraguay relies only on Julio Enciso and Miguel Almiron’s creative playmaking. They will likely focus on closing the gaps and tightening the chances for Germany to force a penalty. They have previously secured draws against Turkey and Australia. Although Paraguay aims for a penalty, Germany’s playmaking will find the net.
Pick: Germany.
Netherlands vs Morocco Prediction
Expected Starting Lineup for the Netherlands
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Bart Verbruggen
Defenders
Denzel Dumfries, Jan Paul van Hecke, Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven
Midfielders
Ryan Gravenberch, Frenkie de Jong, Tijjani Reijnders
Forwards
Donyell Malen, Brian Brobbey, Cody Gakpo
Expected Starting Lineup for Morocco
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Yassine Bounou
Defenders
Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Chadi Riad, Issa Diop
Midfielders
Ayyoub Bouaddi, Azzedine Ounahi, Bilal El Khannouss
Forwards
Brahim Díaz, Ismael Saibari, Soufiane Rahimi
Prediction
Netherlands vs Morocco is a strong matchup where both sides are absolutely intimidating. Both the Netherlands and Brazil finished the Group Stage with 2 wins and a draw each. Now they face each other in a tight contest. The Netherlands’ defense is terrific, with Virgil van Dijk in the midfield. His defensive tactics abruptly stop the buildup play and often force turnovers. Similarly, Morocco also has a strong game, with exceptional scoring ability. They have a significantly deep squad that has upset giants like Portugal in the previous World Cup. Despite the close contest, Morocco has the edge over the Netherlands, given their offensive strength.
Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Leo Østigård, Birger Meling
Defensive Midfielders
Sander Berge, Patrick Berg
Attacking Midfielders
Martin Ødegaard, Antonio Nusa, Alexander Sørloth
Forward
Erling Haaland
Prediction
Norway comes as a dark horse for this 2026 FIFA World Cup. They have two wins and a loss in the Group Stage. Their squad is easily one of the best lineups in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mainly, Erling Haaland carries the team as a sole powerhouse striker. His goal-scoring ability is simply outstanding. Ivory Coast, in contrast, comes with its defense-first strategy against Norway. They aim to face Haaland’s attacking threat with tactical set-piece execution. But still, the coordination among Haaland, Sørloth, Ødegaard, and Nusa is exceptionally powerful. So, Norway is the favorite to win.
Pick: Norway.
France vs Sweden Prediction
Expected Starting Lineup for France
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Mike Maignan
Defenders
Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Lucas Hernández
Defensive Midfielders
Manu Koné, Aurélien Tchouaméni
Attacking Midfielders
Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola
Forwards
Kylian Mbappé
Expected Starting Lineup for Sweden
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Zetterström
Defenders
Victor Lindelöf, Lagerbielke, Gudmundsson
Midfielders
Stroud, Ayari, Bergvall, Bernhardsson
Forwards
Anthony Elanga, Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres
Prediction
France enters as a top pick for this 2026 FIFA World Cup. They have one of the very best squads in the 2026 tournament. With a deep squad and an experienced lineup, France has a solid attacking front. Their midfield dominance and passing game are elite, with good finishing. Sweden, in contrast, has a decent attacking front. But their playmaking and midfield defense are comparably weak. So, France is the favorite to win in this FIFA World Cup clash.
Pick: France.
Mexico vs Ecuador Prediction
Expected Starting Lineup for Mexico
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
José Rangel
Defenders
Jorge Sánchez, César Montes, Johan Vásquez, Jesús Gallardo
Midfielders
Erik Lira, Luis Romo, Roberto Alvarado
Forwards
Brian Gutierrez, Raúl Jiménez, Julián Quiñones
Expected Starting Lineup for Ecuador
Position
Players
Goalkeeper
Alexander Domínguez
Defenders
Alan Franco, Joel Ordóñez, Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapié
Midfielders
John Yeboah, Moises Caicedo, Pedro Vite, Nilson Angulo
Forwards
Gonzalo Plata, Enner Valencia
Prediction
Mexico won all three Group Stage games, beating South Africa, South Korea, and Czechia. This is the first time that Mexico has won all the games in the World Cup. Without conceding a single goal, Mexico’s defensive side remains solid. Ecuador, in contrast, had an average performance in the Group Stage. But their recent 2-1 win against Germany proved their giant-killing ability. Yet, Mexico’s capability is slightly better than Ecuador’s. So, Mexico is predicted to win in this FIFA World Cup match.
Pick: Mexico.
Conclusion
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is genuinely impressive, with several stars appearing for one last time. Players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Manuel Neuer, and Mohamed Salah are at their final chance. Meanwhile, the younger generation of footballers, Erling Haaland, Lamine Yamal, Endrick, and João Neves, are actively shaping new storylines. However, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will ultimately reveal if the younger talent can beat veterans.