The FIFA World Cup 2026 crossed into its knockout stage on Tuesday with drama, upsets, and political headlines as the tournament hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico continues to rewrite records.
In Atlanta, defending champions Argentina found themselves trailing at the break against Egypt, while in Seattle Belgium ended the host nation’s run with a dominant 4-1 win. Elsewhere, off-field issues around racism and eligibility dominated the news cycle, and FIFA reported a surge in online abuse removals compared to 2022.
Egypt Lead Argentina 1-0 at Halftime in Atlanta
The headline fixture of the day saw Lionel Messi’s Argentina face Egypt in the Round of 16 at Atlanta Stadium, with 68,239 fans inside.
Egypt shocked the world champions by taking a 1-0 lead into halftime. The match, which kicked off at 9:00 AM PDT, is being broadcast live on FOX, Telemundo, Peacock Premium and Fubo TV in the United States.
Argentina came into the game wary after needing extra time to edge Cape Verde 3-2 in the previous round. Midfielder Leandro Paredes warned before kickoff that the tournament has no easy games left.
“We are aware that all the national teams are very competitive. Anyone can beat anyone,” Paredes said in Atlanta. “Obviously, seeing Brazil out of the tournament attracts attention, but there are no easy matches.”
Defender Nahuel Molina echoed that, saying Egypt would be highly motivated. “Every opponent studies you, everyone gives their life for their national team,” Molina added.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan also made headlines before the match, using his FIFA press conference to call for support for Palestinians. “If a person anywhere in the world does not feel for the Palestinian people, then they have lost part of their humanity,” Hassan told reporters. He referenced waving the Palestinian flag after Egypt eliminated Australia in Dallas. 6d8f
The winners in Atlanta will advance to face either Switzerland or Colombia in the quarterfinals.
Belgium End USA’s Run with 4-1 Win
Hours earlier in Seattle, the United States’ World Cup journey came to an abrupt end as Belgium produced a clinical 4-1 victory in the Round of 16.
Charles De Ketelaere scored twice for the Red Devils, while Folarin Balogun struggled to make an impact for the hosts. Balogun, who has 33 goals in 90 international appearances, has now scored just once in eight World Cup games.
The result was a setback for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, who had opened the tournament with a historic 4-1 win over Paraguay. In that match, Balogun netted twice and Christian Pulisic provided an assist in a dominant first half that gave the US a 3-0 lead. Gio Reyna added a fourth in injury time, marking the first time the US scored four goals in a World Cup game.
Pulisic missed the subsequent group game against Australia with a calf injury. Pochettino said before that match that Pulisic was in a “much better” spot and hoped he would be available soon.
Belgium’s win sets up a quarterfinal clash that will be closely watched, especially after the eligibility controversy surrounding Balogun. The Belgian Football Association said it had informed U.S. Soccer it was contesting Balogun’s eligibility.
Colombia vs Switzerland Await in Vancouver
Later today, Colombia will take on Switzerland in the Round of 16 at BC Place in Vancouver. The match is scheduled for 1:00 PM PDT and is billed as a playoff stage fixture.
Switzerland topped Group B with 7 points from 2 wins and 1 draw, while Colombia advanced from the group stage to set up this knockout tie. The winner will move on to meet the Argentina-Egypt victor.
The expanded 48-team format has already produced memorable scorelines. The United States’ 4-1 opening win was its biggest World Cup victory and four times what they managed in all of Qatar 2022.
Sweden also impressed with a 5-1 win over Tunisia, with Yasin Ayari scoring twice. Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres each added a goal and an assist.
Off the pitch, FIFA said it has deleted more than 30 million abusive posts and comments since launching its social media protection service before Qatar 2022. In just the first few days of this tournament, nearly 400,000 negative or abusive posts were removed, more than the entire 2022 event.
Eight teams playing on Thursday took part in an International Day for Countering Hate Speech activation, exchanging pennants reading “We Play Together. We Stand Against Hate”.
The issue flared again after France’s win over Paraguay. Kylian Mbappe condemned Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla for racist comments posted on X following Mbappe’s winning penalty. Mbappe called the remarks “despicable” and “unworthy”. Amarilla later posted an open letter saying her issue was with the player, not France. France will face Morocco in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
Brazil, despite producing stars like Neymar, Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha, have not reached a final since winning in 2002.
The tournament runs until July 19, with the final set for New Jersey. FIFA has planned a Super Bowl-style halftime show for the final featuring major global entertainers.
For Argentina, the path to defending their title just got harder. Egypt are chasing a first-ever quarterfinal appearance, and at halftime they held the advantage. Argentina will be eager to avoid another scare after being pushed to extra time previously.
For the United States and Canada, the focus now shifts to lessons learned. The US showed attacking firepower early but lacked consistency, while Belgium exposed gaps in transition.
With the Round of 16 still underway and quarterfinal matchups taking shape, World Cup 2026 is delivering on its promise of unpredictability. As Paredes put it: “All the teams are very well prepared”. b4f4
The second half in Atlanta will decide if Argentina can mount a comeback, or if Egypt will produce one of the tournament’s biggest upsets so far.
Comments
No approved comments yet. Be the first to join the conversation.