The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout phase gets underway with three heavyweight nations taking centre stage as Brazil, Germany, and the Netherlands begin their Round of 32 campaigns against Japan, Paraguay, and Morocco, respectively.
Five-time champions Brazil face Japan in one of the standout fixtures of the opening knockout round, while four-time winners Germany take on Paraguay, and the Netherlands meet Morocco in a repeat of their memorable 2022 quarter-final encounter.
Brazil wary of dangerous Japan challenge
Brazil entered the knockout stage after finishing top of Group C following victories over Scotland and Haiti before sealing first place with a win over the Scots.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti’s side has looked increasingly comfortable as the tournament has progressed, with Vinicius Junior emerging as one of the competition’s standout performers. The return of Neymar also provided another boost to the Selecao.
Japan, however, has shown resilience throughout the group stage. After finishing second in Group F behind the Netherlands, the Samurai Blue secured qualification following a hard-fought draw against Sweden.
With players such as Daizen Maeda, Ritsu Doan, and Ayase Ueda providing attacking threat, Japan will believe they can spring a surprise against the South American giants.
Germany seeks a response against Paraguay
Germany will be eager to bounce back after suffering a surprise 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in their final group game.
Despite finishing top of Group E, Julian Nagelsmann’s side saw their unbeaten start ended and now face a tricky encounter against Paraguay, who impressed during the group phase.
The Germans have shown plenty of attacking quality during the tournament, particularly in their emphatic victory over Curacao, but defensive lapses against Ecuador exposed vulnerabilities that Paraguay will hope to exploit.
Germany remain among the favourites to lift the trophy, but another upset could be costly.
Netherlands renew rivalry with Morocco
The Netherlands head into their clash with Morocco after finishing top of Group F.
Ronald Koeman’s side collected victories over Tunisia and secured first place with a convincing display in their final group match. Brian Brobbey has been among the goals, while Virgil van Dijk continues to marshal the Dutch defence.
Morocco advanced as runners-up in Group C after defeating Haiti 4-2 in a dramatic final group match. The Atlas Lions showed resilience after twice falling behind before securing qualification.
The meeting rekindles memories of Morocco’s famous victory over the Dutch at the 2022 World Cup, and Walid Regragui’s side will once again aim to upset one of Europe’s traditional powers.
Round of 32 Fixtures
- Brazil vs Japan
- Germany vs Paraguay
- Netherlands vs Morocco
With the knockout stage now underway, the margin for error disappears. One poor performance can end a nation’s World Cup dream, while victory moves them a step closer to the final on July 19.
