The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 has produced its fair share of miracles and unforgettable moments, with several underdogs stepping up against football's biggest nations.

From heavyweights Germany and the Netherlands suffering heartbreaking exits to Senegal and Ivory Coast pushing Belgium and Norway to the limit, the knockout stage has delivered drama from start to finish.

South Africa and Japan also put up phenomenal performances before eventually bowing out against more experienced opponents.

ALSO READ: Why Croatia's Equaliser vs Portugal Was Disallowed? FIFA Explains VAR Decision At World Cup 2026

The tournament kicked off with 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed sides progressing to the Round of 32.

While debutants and surprise packages like Cape Verde, Uzbekistan, DR Congo and Algeria made it to the knockout stage, traditional powerhouse Uruguay failed to qualify from the group stage.

What Happened in the Round of 32?

The knockout stage began with Canada edging South Africa 1-0 before Brazil survived a tough challenge from Japan to register a 2-1 victory.

Norway knocked out Ivory Coast in a closely fought contest, while France comfortably defeated Sweden 3-0 to book their Round of 16 berth. Mexico saw off Ecuador 2-0, England came from behind to beat DR Congo 2-1 thanks to Harry Kane's heroics, Belgium fought back from two goals down to edge Senegal 3-2, and the United States defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0.

Spain continued their dominant run with a commanding 3-0 victory over Austria, while Portugal survived a late scare to beat Croatia 2-1 after VAR ruled out Croatia's dramatic equaliser. Switzerland also advanced after defeating Algeria 2-0.

Germany and Netherlands' Shocking Exit in Round of 32

Two of the biggest shocks of the tournament came when four-time champions Germany and former finalists Netherlands crashed out in the very first knockout round.

Germany were held to a 1-1 draw by Paraguay before losing in the penalty shootout, while Morocco produced another giant-killing act by eliminating the Dutch on penalties after a tense encounter finished level following extra time.

Both results marked the end of two European giants' World Cup campaigns much earlier than expected.

ALSO READ: Cristiano Ronaldo World Cup Records: Full List of His Historic Achievements After Croatia Victory

List of Teams Eliminated in the Round of 32

  • South Africa
  • Japan
  • Germany
  • Netherlands
  • Ivory Coast
  • Sweden
  • Ecuador
  • DR Congo
  • Senegal
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Austria
  • Croatia
  • Algeria

Note: Three more teams will be elimated after the completion of Round of 32 games.