The knockout phase of the FIFA World Cup 2026 continues with an intriguing all-European contest as France meet Sweden in the Round of 32 at the New York New Jersey Stadium. There is no margin for error now. One team will move a step closer to the trophy, while the other will see its World Cup campaign come to an immediate end.

France arrive carrying the momentum of one of the tournament’s most convincing group-stage performances. Didier Deschamps guided Les Bleus to a flawless record in Group I, winning all three matches to finish on nine points while scoring 10 goals and conceding only twice. Their efficiency at both ends of the pitch has reinforced their status as genuine title contenders, with Opta’s projections and bookmakers continuing to place them among the strongest favourites remaining in the competition.

Sweden, meanwhile, have travelled a far more demanding road to reach the knockout rounds. Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side finished third in Group F after recording one victory, one draw and one defeat, collecting four points to qualify among the tournament’s best third-placed nations. Their campaign has been defined by attacking ambition rather than defensive certainty. Sweden have scored seven goals across three matches but have also allowed seven at the opposite end, making them one of the competition’s most entertaining teams heading into the elimination stage.

Both sides arrive with notable selection concerns. France must cope without Marcus Thuram, who has been ruled out through injury, while Sweden have suffered a significant setback with first-choice central defender Isak Hien unavailable, leaving an already vulnerable back line further weakened against one of the tournament’s most dangerous attacks.

France’s strength lies in the depth and variety of their squad. Kylian Mbappé continues to spearhead the attack, supported by the pace and creativity of Ousmane Dembélé and Michaël Olise. Aurélien Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot provide balance in midfield, while William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano anchor a defence that has looked increasingly assured throughout the tournament.

Sweden possess threats capable of troubling any opponent. Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres form one of the most physical forward pairings still left in the competition, Lucas Bergvall has emerged as the creative heartbeat of the midfield, and Anthony Elanga’s pace offers a constant outlet on the counterattack.

This will also be a historic occasion. Despite sharing a long footballing history, France and Sweden have never previously met at a FIFA World Cup. Across 23 meetings in all competitions, France have won 12 times compared to Sweden’s six victories, with five matches finishing in draws.

France bring the pedigree of two World Cup titles, won in 1998 and 2018, while Sweden continue their search for a first global crown after their best finish of third place in 1994. The reward for the winner is already known. Paraguay await in the Round of 16 after producing one of the biggest upsets of the tournament by eliminating four-time champions Germany on penalties. France enter as favourites, but Sweden have already shown throughout this World Cup that they are capable of making life uncomfortable for more fancied opponents.

Jimmy Alapag admitted that returning to the Philippines wasn’t an option six years ago when, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he and his family left for the United States to pursue better opportunities.

“At the time, maybe not,” Alapag told the Inquirer on Tuesday, when asked if this homecoming was in any way planned. “[But that was] just because of the pandemic.”

And when an offer to coach in the PBA, NLEX in this case, came—a chance which is very hard to pass up on—Alapag knew it was time to take the gang back home.

It has turned into a full-circle moment for the “Mighty Mouse,” the former Talk ‘N Text and national five-star.

“The time we spent in the US and the NBA, it was invaluable,” Alapag continued. “I think it allowed me to grow as a coach and now puts me in a better position to not only help NLEX, but hopefully Philippine basketball in the future.”

Alapag returned this week to begin his new coaching challenge, which is to turn the fortunes of a Road Warriors squad that has struggled to build on past elimination round successes into deep playoff runs.

The former Gilas Pilipinas star comes in carrying experience gained in the NBA as a player development coach for the Sacramento Kings.

He joined the Kings staff during the 2023-24 season from their G League affiliate Stockton Kings, after gaining a good impression on then-coach Mike Brown, who, just weeks ago steered the New York Knicks to the NBA championship.

Connection

“Coach Brown is big on the team being connected,” Alapag said. “You hear that word a lot with coach Brown. He strives to have his players and his team be connected on and off the court.”

It’s one of the things Alapag will try to have the Road Warriors buy into.

He inherits a lineup that is going to be led by Robert Bolick, the superstar guard known for his high-scoring offense and facilitating skills.

“Obviously, he’s played at a very high level,” Alapag said. “I think he’s been in the running for the MVP the past few seasons. I think it’s just to continue to help him with his growth as a player.

“It’s not winning MVP when you have arguably the greatest player ever to play in the PBA, June Mar Fajardo, is still around,” Alapag went on. “But whatever I can do to help him and help him to have even more success in his career, that’s why I’m here.”

Alapag’s hiring became official on Monday after meeting team owner Manny Pangilinan and NLEX officials.

Before Tuesday’s press conference, he was at the Road Warriors’ tuneup game against the Blackwater Bossing at the University of the Philippines campus.

He watched from the sidelines, allowing the assistants to run the show while getting a first-hand look at the team, as he asked team personnel questions on several players.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — France forward Kylian Mbappé scored his ninth goal in the knockout stage of the World Cup on Tuesday, breaking a tie with Brazilian greats Leonidas and Ronaldo for the most in the history of the tournament.

After a give-and-go with Ousmane Dembélé, Mbappé scored on a terrific individual effort in the 45th minute. Mbappé crossed over Viktor Gyökeres before firing his shot past Sweden goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström.

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The 27-year-old Mbappé ran immediately to coach Didier Deschamps after scoring. This was Deschamps’ first game back on the sideline after missing the group stage finale to fly back to Europe for his mother’s funeral.

Mbappé’s fifth goal of this year’s tournament tied him with Norway striker Erling Haaland and put him one back of Argentina forward Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. With 17 goals in 18 World Cup games, he moved two behind Messi on the all-time scoring list. Messi has played in 29 World Cup games in his career.

France outshot Sweden 15-3 in the first half, dominating in the searing heat. That effort also included Mbappé banging a shot off the left post and even beginning to celebrate before watching it bounce back.

It was 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), sunny and humid at the 5 p.m. kickoff with poor air quality. During the first half hydration break, Lucas Digne let himself be doused by a sprinkler.

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AP Sports Writer Ron Blum contributed to this report.

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion made her competitive return in the women’s doubles earlier this month, almost four years after saying she was “evolving” away from the sport.

While she showed glimpses of her former self alongside Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko at Queen’s and Karolina Muchova in Berlin, questions remained over how Williams would fare physically on her return to singles.

By returning, Williams became the second oldest player to appear in the women’s singles draw at Wimbledon – and it appeared that time had caught up with the serial winner during her hiatus from the sport.

Without a partner for back-up, Williams was exposed in the baseline rallies during the opening set, unable and unwilling to race across and meet Joint’s exceptional down-the-line winners.

However, after a rusty start, her level gradually started to improve and she battled resiliently to stick with Joint, twice recovering from a break down in the second set to force a tie-break.

And when Joint was presented with her first match point, Williams responded with a blistering forehand winner and a 120mph serve to turn her fortunes around and delight the Centre Court crowd with an extra set.

That battle came at a cost, however, and the former world number one could not keep pace with the American-born 20-year-old, who held her arms aloft after wrapping up her first-ever win at Wimbledon.

Tasked with beating one of the greatest players of all-time, Joint – who had lost 11 WTA Tour-level matches in a row – stepped up to the plate and produced her best performance of the season under nerve-wracking conditions.

“This court has had so many huge names that have played on it. She has so much aura, she is such a legend,” Joint added.

“I have been dreaming about this since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy.”

Speaking before Queen’s, Williams said the main motivation for her comeback was the prospect of her two daughters watching her play.

Eight-year-old Olympia and Adira, who is almost three, were both in her players’ box at the start of the match, along with sister Venus and Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian.

Williams will be back in action later this week when she joins up with Venus in the doubles. The pair – who won six titles together at Wimbledon – face Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra in the first round.

Official lineups for France – Sweden

France: Maignan – Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne – Tchouaméni, Rabiot – Dembélé, Olise, Barcola – Mbappé (cap.)

Sweden: Zetterstrom – Gudmundsson, Lindelof (cap.), Lagerbielke – Stroud, Ayari, Bergvall, Svensson – Isak, Gyokeres, Elanga

France topped their group with an impressive unbeaten run, winning all three group matches to secure first place with maximum points. Didier Deschamps‘ side have shown attacking prowess and defensive solidity throughout the group stage, establishing themselves as one of the tournament’s elite teams heading into the knockout rounds.

Read moreWorld Cup 2026 – Fixtures and schedule

Sweden, meanwhile, claimed a place in the Round of 32 after a mixed campaign that saw them finish second in their group with 4 points from 3 matches. Gyokeres’ side showed resilience to advance but face a stern test against the tournament favorites. France are seeking to extend their winning streak and move one step closer to ultimately claiming the trophy, while Sweden will attempt to upset the odds and cause a major shock in New Jersey.

Knockout rounds in the 2026 FIFA World Cup have already produced unpredictability, setting up no safety in sight for tournament favorites and endless possibilities for underdogs. What happens next between two perennial hopefuls is truly up for grabs as tournament co-hosts Mexico and Ecuador meet on Tuesday at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Mexico is coming off an impressive group stage run, where they conceded zero goals and won all three games, closing on the group stage with a 3-0 win over Czechia. Ecuador bounced back from the dead, after failing to score in their opening two games, and rallied to defeat Germany in the final group game for their first win of the tournament.

It’s a heavyweight battle between two defensive squads who have found the goal scoring late in the group stages. This will be the second World Cup meeting, with the 2002 group game ending in a 2-1 victory for Mexico. But there’s plenty of familiarity and tension, as the last three meetings between the two sides have ended in draws, leading many to lean towards the odds of another similar outcome in this round of 32 knockout match.

El Tri will be motivated and confident as hosts. Head coach Javier Aguirre has been in this position before and has shown off his own evolution. Perhaps not so much in formations and style, but in trust and in player rotations. 

It leaves fewer questions about who will remain in goal moving forward after Mexican soccer legend Memo Ochoa got a hero’s send-off in the last match, with Tala Rangel subbed off in the 75th minute. Now in his third knockout round on the sidelines with Mexico, there’s an experienced presence who is also open to evolving but without drastic shifts.

“When preparing ourselves, time was restrictive, but the same thing applies to Ecuador, so it’s basically the same thing for both of us,” Aguirre told the media about the quick turnaround to prep for knockouts.

Rangel is no doubt Mexico’s starting keeper for as long as El Tri remain in the tournament. Aguirre also rested stand-out midfielder Erik Lira last week and gave 17-year-old Gilberto Mora his first senior World Cup start against Czechia. So it leaves more curiosity about who Aguirre will start in the knockout rounds for a Mexico side that are showing they have a deeper roster than others gave them credit for.

“The level of maturity. Their age range goes from 17 to 23. Of course, there are more senior players now, and they’re infectious. I’m 67, and I used to think I was like the father of kids, and this time around I’m their grandfather, basically,” he joked.

“But they are fearless. They are not afraid of success. They’re not afraid to go out there and find what they want, so they’re infectious … I don’t know if they’re all quite positive-minded. I don’t know if that’s alike amongst them, but whenever I talk to them, I really try to find out what’s going on in their minds, what they’re thinking about, but the common denominator is the optimism. I’m really cautious. I am experienced, and I’ve fought many battles. Some of them I’ve won, some others I’ve lost. And, we are hopeful. I’m not gonna stop it. I’m not going to stop or refrain anybody from dreaming.”

There’s no denying what momentum can do for a team, and Ecuador have finally found some of their own at the perfect time. While other squads might rue the thought of Mexico City and its altitude, La Tri are more equipped to handle the pressure that comes with stepping into Estadio Azteca. Though head coach Sebastian Beccacece would have prefered less travel delays getting into Mexico, there’s value in being fresh off a recent win.

After their comeback victory over Germany, the group have nothing to lose, making them a dangerous team to face in the knockouts. The squad is also relatively healthy, with a great defensive core led by Moises Caicedo in the middle with Willian Pacho and Piero Hinacapie in tow. If Enner Valencia can finally turn it up in front of the goal, they’ll be difficult to stop in transition. 

How to watch Mexico vs. Ecuador

Date: Tuesday, June 30 | Time: 9 p.m. ET
Location: Estadio Azteca — Mexico City, Mexico
TV: Fox (Eng), Telemundo (Spa) | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Odds: Mexico -178 | Draw +125 | Ecuador +146

Mexico vs. Ecuador predicted starting lineups

Mexico: Jose Rangel; Israel Reyes, Cesar Montes, Johan Vasquez, Jesus Gallardo; Erik Lira, Alvaro Fidalgo, Gilberto Mora; Roberto Alvarado, Raul Jimenez, Julian Quinones

Ecuador: Hernan Galindez; Alan Franco, Joel Ordonez, Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapie; John Yeboah, Moises Caicedo, Pedro Vite, Nilson Angulo; Enner Valencia, Gonzalo Plata

Keep up with the World Cup standings here.

Mexico vs. Ecuador pick, prediction

With three consecutive draws between them in the last four years, look for two defensively-minded teams to be cautious and to pick and choose their moments of attack in a narrow and cagey match. Mexico’s ability to find the scoring in their games more quickly gives them a slight advantage. Pick: Mexico 1, Ecuador 0

Check out our World Cup expert predictions.  

Golazo 48 Nations: Follow the World Cup all summer long

Golazo 48 Nations is your all-access destination for the World Cup, with wall-to-wall coverage across the CBS Sports Golazo Network. From the first whistle to the final recap, the entire Golazo crew will guide fans through every moment of the tournament.

Each day begins with Morning Footy, setting the stage with the latest news, storylines, and previews ahead of kickoff. From there, Golazo Matchday and Golazo Matchnight deliver reaction and analysis as the action unfolds. Fans can also tune in for coverage of USMNT matches with the Call It What You Want team, as well as reaction to other marquee matchups.

The day wraps with Scoreline, a comprehensive nightly recap of every result, moment, and storyline from across the tournament. Altogether, the Golazo Network will deliver up to 12 hours of programming each matchday, available across the Golazo Network and its YouTube channel.

June 28, 2026; Irvine, California, U.S.; Sergino Dest of the U.S. during training. Mandatory Credit: Bailey Holiver-Imagn Images

The U.S. Men’s National Team haven’t won a World Cup knockout match since 2002 nor have they defeated a European side in any competition in more than five years.

For the current squad, it’s not about revisiting history but making history when the United States plays Bosnia and Herzegovina in a round of 32 match in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday. The winner will advance to the round of 16 to meet Belgium or Senegal on July 6 in Seattle.

“Honestly, I don’t even think any of us are thinking about it,” U.S. captain Tim Ream said. “I think it’s just about putting in good performances. If we do everything that we’ve done up to this point we’re going to put ourselves in the best possible position to move on in the tournament.”

The U.S. is confident in advancing despite losing 3-2 to Turkey on June 25 in what was a meaningless match because the Americans already had clinched first place in Group D. Nearly all of the starters from the first two matches did not play but the lineup is expected to return to form on Wednesday.

“It’s a knockout round and if you want to win this trophy, the World Cup, you have to beat everyone and be able to beat everyone, from Europe or Africa it doesn’t matter,” midfielder Sergino Dest said. “We just want to win.”

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Star Christian Pulisic (calf) could return to the starting lineup. He left the first match at halftime, missed the second game and returned to play 33 minutes as a substitute against Turkey.

Pulisic said he’s ready to play 90 minutes — or 120, if needed.

“I’m feeling good this week, and I’m definitely ready to go for tomorrow,” Pulisic told reporters Tuesday.

The FIFA rankings list the U.S. as No. 15, Bosnia and Herzegovina as No. 61.

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Bosnia and Herzegovina were third in Group B and will present a similar defensive-minded philosophy employed by the first two U.S. opponents that resulted in a 4-1 win over Paraguay and 2-0 blanking of Australia by the Americans.

“Just move the ball quick as you possibly can side to side, getting runs in behind and just really unbalancing their shape,” Ream said. “It sounds simple and that’s really the key to any team you play, no matter if they’re playing the low block, medium block, high press, whatever you want to call it.”

The difference, though, is the physicality of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which led all teams through the group stages with 46 fouls.

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“We will try to create problems and of course win the game,” Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Sergej Barbarez said.

The matchup is intriguing for Bosnia and Herzegovina midfielder Esmir Bajraktarevic, 21, who is from Appleton, Wis. He played one match for the U.S. in a friendly vs. Slovenia in January 2024 before using his dual citizenship to switch countries later that year.

He scored the clinching penalty in the shootout that led Bosnia and Herzegovina to defeat Italy and qualify for the World Cup. He started the first and third World Cup matches and came off the bench in the second.

Bajraktarevic will see familiar faces on the opposing team because Dest and Ricardo Pepi are teammates at Dutch champion PSV Eindhoven.

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“That will be great for me,” Bajraktarevic said of the match. “It doesn’t really matter who we play next. Obviously, we are ready for everything.”

For the Americans, the last time they reached the round of 16 was 2002 when they went directly there from the group stage under the 32-team format. They downed Mexico 2-0 before losing 1-0 to Germany in the quarterfinals.

This year is the first World Cup with 48 teams, prompting an extra round.

The U.S. is winless in 13 matches (two ties) against a European side since a 2-1 win vs. Northern Ireland on March 28, 2021. They have lost 10 straight, beginning with a 3-1 setback to Netherlands in the round of 16 in 2022.

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None of that matters to U.S forward Folarin Balogun, who scored twice against Paraguay.

“It’s crunch time, it’s knockout football,” he said. “You lose, you go home, so this is the business end and this is the stage where, in my opinion, the big players step forward and the big players carry the pressure and make things happen.”

–Field Level Media

Erling Haaland delivered when Norway needed him most, scoring five minutes from time to seal a 2-1 victory over Côte d’Ivoire and send his side into the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16. Antonio Nusa’s superb first-half opener had given Norway the lead before substitute Amad Diallo hauled the Ivorians level in the 74th minute, but Haaland’s decisive intervention ensured Ståle Solbakken’s side survived a sustained spell of pressure to book a blockbuster meeting with Brazil.

Norway strike first before Côte d’Ivoire’s pressure grows

The Round of 32 contest at Dallas Stadium unfolded exactly as anticipated, with Côte d’Ivoire controlling possession while Norway looked to punish them in transition. Emerse Faé’s side enjoyed 52 per cent of the ball, completed 442 passes at an 86 per cent accuracy rate and repeatedly forced Norway backwards, yet the Scandinavian side remained disciplined inside their compact defensive structure and were far more clinical whenever opportunities appeared.

The Elephants continually attacked through the flanks, finishing the evening with 14 corner kicks compared to Norway’s three, but the Norwegian back line dealt confidently with the aerial deliveries while waiting for openings to counter. Their breakthrough arrived in the 39th minute through a move that perfectly reflected their game plan. Martin Ødegaard initiated the transition from midfield before the ball was worked quickly into the left channel for Antonio Nusa. The winger squared up Guéla Doué, shifted the ball inside onto his stronger foot and created just enough space to shoot. His curling effort arced beautifully beyond Yahia Fofana before clipping the inside of the top-right corner, giving the goalkeeper no chance and handing Norway a 1-0 lead against the run of possession.

Diallo’s impact changes the game before Haaland has the final say

Côte d’Ivoire emerged after the break determined to overturn the deficit and steadily increased the pressure around Norway’s penalty area. Despite producing 14 shots to Norway’s nine and forcing repeated defensive interventions, clear chances remained limited as the European side continued to protect the central areas effectively.

Faé’s changes eventually paid dividends in the 74th minute. Nicolas Pépé found space just outside the area before linking neatly with substitute Amad Diallo. The Manchester United winger combined quickly with Pépé in a sharp one-two, slipped between two Norwegian defenders and calmly swept a low finish beyond Ørjan Nyland to make it 1-1, capping an energetic cameo that appeared to shift momentum firmly towards Côte d’Ivoire.

With the game entering its closing stages, the contest opened up dramatically as both teams chased a winner rather than settling for extra time. Norway found it in the 85th minute through their biggest star. Patrick Berg won possession high up the pitch and immediately drove a dangerous low ball into the six-yard box. Haaland anticipated the delivery quicker than anyone, escaped the attention of Emmanuel Agbadou and stabbed a first-time finish beyond Fofana from close range to restore Norway’s advantage and silence the Ivorian supporters.

Clinical Norway withstand late pressure to reach the last 16

The closing minutes saw Côte d’Ivoire throw everything forward in search of another equaliser, but Norway held firm to complete one of the tournament’s biggest knockout victories so far. Although Norway finished with only 48 per cent possession and completed 411 passes compared to Côte d’Ivoire’s 442, their superior efficiency proved decisive. They converted two of their three shots on target, while the Ivorians managed only one goal despite registering five efforts on target from 14 attempts overall. Norway also completed 89 per cent of their passes, slightly outperforming Côte d’Ivoire’s 86 per cent despite seeing less of the ball. Defensively, the Scandinavian side absorbed enormous pressure throughout the contest. They cleared repeated deliveries from the 14 corners they conceded, committed 14 fouls to break up attacks and received two yellow cards, while Côte d’Ivoire finished with 11 fouls and one booking. The victory sends Norway into the Round of 16, where they will face five-time champions Brazil in New York on July 5. Côte d’Ivoire’s tournament ends after an impressive but ultimately unsuccessful effort in which territorial dominance, possession and attacking volume were undone by Norway’s composure in both penalty areas and Haaland’s decisive late finish.

Jalen Duren had a very underwhelming postseason for the Detroit Pistons. Despite being a third-team All-NBA selection, the production simply wasn’t there for Duren in the playoffs.

He went from averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 65% shooting to just 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting a horrific 51% from the field. At points during the Eastern Conference Semifinals, he was benched for third-string big, Paul Reed. Offensively and defensively, it was an utter slog for Durren, and that leaves Detroit in an unfortunately precarious position.

Even with a slightly underwhelming playoff performance, Detroit would likely have been willing to give Duren a max contract; however, with his struggles to even stay on the court, his future as a Piston looks murky at best.

Duren’s team seems frustrated that Detroit has not gotten close to a max-money offer, and he is now seriously looking elsewhere in free agency. I’m not sure the Pistons are too upset with this outcome, and now feel like they could flip Duren in a sign-and-trade. The main suitor appears to be the Sacramento Kings, and I just don’t think they have anything to offer that’s worthwhile in a potential trade.

The Kings have three pieces that Detroit has rumored to be interested in. The main piece is Domantas Sabonis, who would immediately provide a spark on offense for the Pistons. Detroit could also try to fix Keegan Murray, who has steadily declined from a very solid sophomore season in the league. Lastly, they could take on Zach LaVine’s albatross of a contract and hope he could be a secondary scorer next to Cade Cunningham.

These all feel like such losing decisions to me. If you aren’t able to build off the success you had this past season, you risk frustrating Cunningham and having him demand a trade out. I’m just not sure two aging guys on horrible deals, or a rehabilitation program, are going to be what keeps Cade happy.

Duren has had massive playoff struggles in his first two go-arounds, but you’ve got to remember he’s only 22-years-old. Tying him down to a max extension comes with risks, but he was an All-NBA selection this past season. I’m willing to bet on him raising his playoff output, then two 30-year-olds deciding they’re going to play impactful basketball in the latter halves of their careers.

There’s not a lot of centers making All-NBA teams at this point in their careers. Giving up on one for very flawed alternatives does not feel like the fix.