World Cup Round Of 32: Seven Teams Eliminated, Three last-16 Fixtures Confirmed

Ecuador became the latest country to crash out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a 2-0 defeat to co-host nation Mexico in the Round of 32.

Mexico secured their place in the last 16 with a composed display, thanks to goals from Julián Quiñones and Raul Jiménez.

The victory keeps the hosts’ hopes alive as they await confirmation of their next opponents in the knockout stage.

The result means Ecuador join Ivory Coast, Japan, Germany, South Africa, the Netherlands and Sweden among the countries already eliminated from the tournament.

Earlier, France booked their place in the Round of 16 with an emphatic 3-0 win over Sweden.

Kylian Mbappe scored twice before Bradley Barcola added the third to complete a dominant performance and end Sweden’s World Cup campaign.

Mbappe continued his fine scoring form in the competition, while France looked comfortable throughout as they progressed without major difficulty.

With another Round of 32 fixture completed, three Round of 16 clashes have now been confirmed.

France will face Paraguay on Saturday in a game expected to attract plenty of attention as the former champions continue their pursuit of another World Cup title.

Morocco are also through and will meet co-host nation Canada on Saturday, with both countries aiming to secure a place in the quarter-finals.

Sunday’s schedule will see Norway take on Brazil in another high-profile knockout fixture.

The winner will move a step closer to the final four in what promises to be one of the standout matches of the Round of 16.

Mexico’s next opponents have yet to be decided, but their win over Ecuador has ensured they remain firmly in contention on home soil.