Tuesday 1 July narrowed the FIFA World Cup 2026 field again. Three round-of-32 ties across the American time zones — from Atlanta at lunchtime through Seattle in the afternoon to Santa Clara deep into the Pacific evening — sent England, the United States and Belgium into the last 16. It followed Monday's drama in Texas, New Jersey and Mexico City, where France, Norway and co-hosts Mexico had already punched their tickets. With eight knockout places now decided, the bracket is taking shape: European heavyweights on one side, co-host ambition on the other, and a mouth-watering England vs Mexico collision locked in for Mexico City on Saturday.
England 2–1 DR Congo — Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta
Kane and Bellingham ease the Three Lions past the Leopards
England, Group L winners, were always favourites against DR Congo — the African side who had thrilled neutrals by reaching the knockout stage for the first time — but favourites still have to perform under a humid Atlanta sun. Harry Kane answered with a penalty after Bukayo Saka was brought down, and Jude Bellingham delivered the decisive strike in the second half with a driving run from midfield that carried the ball 30 yards before he found the far corner.
DR Congo, to their credit, refused to disappear. Yoane Wissa halved the deficit with a sharp near-post finish that briefly unsettled the English back line, and for ten minutes the Leopards pressed with the freedom of a side with nothing to lose. England reasserted control through Declan Rice's screening and Bukayo Saka's width, and when the final whistle blew the Three Lions had their date with destiny: a round-of-16 tie against Mexico at the Azteca on 5 July.
Full match centre · England vs Mexico preview
Belgium 1–0 Senegal — Seattle Stadium, Seattle
Trossard finishes the job in the Pacific Northwest
Belgium and Senegal brought Group G's heavyweight pedigree to Seattle, and for long periods it looked like a chess match played in slow motion. Kevin De Bruyne pulled the strings from deep, Sadio Mané threatened on the break, and both goalkeepers were called into action before half-time. The breakthrough, when it came, was pure poacher's instinct: Leandro Trossard arriving at the back post to steer home a De Bruyne cross that Senegal's defence had failed to clear.
Senegal pushed hard in the second half — Mané twice went close from the edge of the area — but Belgium's defensive organisation, rebuilt after a wobbly group stage, held firm. Roberto Martínez's side advance to face the winner of the USA–Bosnia tie, with a potential quarter-final against Brazil looming on the horizon if results continue to favour the European contenders.
Full match centre · Group G standings
USA 2–1 Bosnia and Herzegovina — San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Santa Clara
Pulisic delivers when the co-hosts needed him most
The final match of the day belonged to the co-hosts — and to Christian Pulisic, who scored once and created the other in a performance that carried the Stars and Stripes through a nervy evening in Silicon Valley. Bosnia, organised and physical, took an early lead through a set-piece header that silenced the home crowd, and for twenty minutes the USA looked like a team feeling the weight of a nation's expectation.
Pulisic dragged them back. His equaliser — a curling effort from the left channel — was followed by a Yunus Musah tap-in after Pulisic had carved open the Bosnian defence on the counter. The USA held on through seven minutes of stoppage time that felt like seventy, and Gregg Berhalter's side advance to a round-of-16 tie that will test whether their youthful energy can survive against sharper European opposition.
Full match centre · USA team hub
What to expect on 2 July
Wednesday brings another full slate of round-of-32 football — three ties that will further define the European half of the draw:
- Portugal vs Croatia— Toronto Stadium, 19:00 local. Two Iberian neighbours with tournament pedigree; expect Modrić's last dance against Ronaldo's supporting cast.
- Spain vs Austria— Los Angeles Stadium, 12:00 local. Spain's possession machine against an Austrian side that upset the odds in the group stage.
- Switzerland vs Algeria — BC Place Vancouver, 20:00 local. A six-goal group-stage thriller between these nations sets up another potentially explosive knockout tie on the West Coast.
Argentina, Colombia and Australia are among the names in action on 3 July as the round of 32 concludes. Follow every kick-off on our fixtures hub and live scores.
Bracket snapshot
Eight nations have confirmed round-of-16 places: Brazil, Morocco, France, Norway, Mexico, England, Belgium and the USA. The path to MetLife on 19 July is narrowing — and the England–Mexico quarter-final side of the bracket already looks like the story every neutral wants to follow.