The 2026 World Cup is into the serious stuff after the group stage, as the knockout rounds begin with a first ever last-32.

The top two sides in each group qualified for knockouts along with the eight best third-place teams. Uruguay and Scotland were among the 16 nations eliminated, while tournament contenders including Spain, France, Argentina, Brazil, England and Germany all topped their groups.

There are 104 matches in North America this summer, up by 40 since the Qatar World Cup in 2022, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo likely to play on this stage for the last time in their glittering careers.

And here is every knockout fixture’s date, kick-off time and host city:

Here are how they finished in the group stage:

The World Cup began in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, the site of Diego Maradona’s most famous and infamous goals against England at the 1986 World Cup.

It was also the venue for two classic World Cup finals: Brazil’s win over Italy in 1970 which included Carlos Alberto’s iconic team goal to cap a 4-1 win; and Argentina’s 3-2 win over West Germany in 1986, where Jorge Burruchaga grabbed an 84th-minute winner.

Mexico and Canada will host 13 games in each, and the United States will host 78.

From the quarter-finals onwards, the US will host all of the remaining matches, with the final in New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.

Who will win the World Cup?

Football’s biggest question is back – and the debate is already heating up. England’s new golden generation, Argentina’s defending champions, France’s relentless depth and Spain’s evolving young side all have strong claims to glory at the World Cup.

Now it’s your turn: who do you think will lift the trophy?

Paul Pogba has been enjoying the World Cup this summer and has now been reunited with a former teammate from his time at Manchester United

Former Manchester United players Paul Pogba and Juan Mata have reunited at the World Cup. Both players left Old Trafford in the summer of 2022 – winning three major trophies in M16 between them.

Pogba went on to rejoin Italian giants Juventus after his second spell at United, before leaving the Serie A club in November 2024. The 2018 World Cup winner was linked with several clubs, including the Reds, once he was eligible to play again after an 18-month drugs ban.

But it was confirmed in June last year that Pogba had signed for Monaco on a two-year deal. He made six appearances for the Ligue 1 side last season – failing to score or provide an assist.

The 33-year-old attended an Adidas event in New York City over the weekend, where he reunited with Mata, who is working as a pundit for ITV. Mata joined United for a then-club record fee of £37.1m in January 2014 from Chelsea.

The Spaniard went on to make 285 appearances for United, scoring 51 goals and providing 43 assists before leaving to join Galatasaray in September 2022.

And the Melbourne Victory midfielder has posted a picture of himself being hugged by Pogba on Instagram after bumping into the Frenchman in New York. Writing in Spanish, he said: “Love you, my friend!! @paulpogba. It’s always such a joy to see you.”

Mata has always been a fan of Pogba and spoke about the midfielder back in 2019, when he was being linked with a move away from Old Trafford.

“He’s a fantastic midfielder and he’s a very good guy,” Mata said.

Mata also described Pogba as a ‘positive influence’ and someone who ‘brings everyone together’.

Thousands of Man United fans upgraded their matchday last season. This is how they did it.

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Various Prices

Seat Unique

Buy official packages at Seat Unique

Official premium experiences at Old Trafford are available now for the 26/27 Premier League season. Make it easier than ever to turn a regular fixture into something genuinely unforgettable.

Advertisement

Indian athletics witnessed the end of one of its longest-standing records after Kerala’s Ancy Sojan produced a remarkable leap of 6.88m at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. The effort eclipsed Anju Bobby George’s national record of 6.83m, which had remained unbeaten since the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Besides rewriting the record books, the jump also secured Ancy the Athletics Federation of India’s qualification mark for the 2026 Asian Games. The performance marks another significant milestone in the 25-year-old’s rapid rise and places her among the continent’s leading long jumpers ahead of a crucial international season.

Check the full video of Ancy’s record jump here:

International medals and steady rise

The Kerala athlete has continued to deliver consistent performances at major continental events. She added another silver medal at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships before claiming bronze at the 2026 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships.

Earlier this season, Ancy improved her personal best to 6.75m at the National Federation Cup, signalling that she was closing in on the national record. She bettered that mark by 13 centimetres in Bhubaneswar, producing the best jump of her career when it mattered most.

Record-breaking jump in Bhubaneswar

Ancy opened the competition strongly with a jump of 6.73m before producing the decisive 6.88m effort on her fifth attempt. She concluded the event with a final jump of 6.69m to comfortably secure the title.

Her winning mark not only erased Anju Bobby George’s 22-year-old national record but also ranks among the finest performances by an Asian woman in the event. The jump makes Ancy only the second Asian athlete in the last two decades to cross the 6.85m mark and places her eighth on the continent’s all-time list.

Eyes on bigger targets

Speaking after her historic achievement, Ancy said the performance reflected India’s growing standards in the long jump and credited years of hard work for her progress. She also reiterated her ambition to win the gold medal at the Asian Games.

With the national record now in her name and qualification for the Asian Games secured, Ancy heads into the remainder of the season as one of India’s leading hopes in women’s long jump and a key athlete to watch at upcoming international competitions.

India Squad: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Suryansh Shedge, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prince Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi.

Ireland Squad: Tim Tector, Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker(w/c), Benjamin Calitz, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Liam McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys, Jai Moondra, Matthew Hollard, Stephen Doheny, Reuben Wilson, Gavin Hoey.

This week, Oleksandr Usyk announced that he has vacated his WBC, WBA and IBF world titles, while also confirming that he will have one final fight before retiring.

The Ukrainian cemented himself as this generation’s leading heavyweight by beating Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois and Tyson Fury twice. With his first victory over Fury, Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis.

After vacating his WBO belt last year, he has now decided to relinquish his remaining three titles following a WBC order to face mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel. The German has since been upgraded to full champion.

In his statement, Usyk also revealed that his next fight would be the last of his career. While some speculated that it could be a rematch with Rico Verhoeven following the controversial finish to their bout in May, promoter Eddie Hearn believes otherwise.

Speaking on the DAZN broadcast of the Xander Zayas vs Jaron Ennis card in Brooklyn, Hearn said Deontay Wilder will be the man standing in the opposite corner.

“As I understand it, Usyk will fight Wilder next. He wants to do what he wants to do, I guess, and have one more in the sun, and now the contenders are going to get their shots… If you know you know.”

Usyk and Wilder had been in early talks over a fight back in January, but the hard-hitting American grew impatient and instead booked a bout with Derek Chisora, which he won over the distance.

The former WBC champion faced questions over his future after successive defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang following his trilogy with Tyson Fury. Despite the 43 knockouts on his record, Wilder would enter a fight with Usyk as a sizeable underdog, with many viewing the contest as the Ukrainian’s chance to add one final marquee name from his era before hanging up the gloves.

The knockout rounds of the 2026 World Cup have arrived, starting with co-hosts Canada facing taking on South Africa on Sunday. The Canadians advanced through a tumultuous group stage despite losing to Switzerland in their last game, while South Africa advanced thanks to a dramatic 1-0 victory over South Korea. Both teams are in the knockouts for the first time. Kickoff in Inglewood, Calif. is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.

The latest Canada vs. South Africa odds from FanDuel list Canada as -140 favorites on the 90-minute money line while South Africa are +460 underdogs and a draw is priced at +240. Meanwhile, the Over/Under for total goals scored is 2.5. There’s no shortage of other soccer betting options at FanDuel, where you can use the latest FanDuel promo code to get $350 in bonus bets if your bet $5 for seven days. 

You can get even more Canada vs. South Africa picks and more World Cup bets from SportsLine’s experts like Brad Thomas, Jon Eimer and Martin Green. Anyone following their World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.

Canada vs. South Africa odds

Canada vs. South Africa betting preview

Canada’s path through the group stage was chaotic. A Jonathan David performance to forget contributed to a 1-1 draw with Bosnia, followed by a 6-0 thrashing of Qatar that saw David score a hat trick, but midfielder Ismael Kone suffered a gruesome leg injury in the process. Canada then lost 2-1 to Switzerland but still had enough points to advance. 

Led by fiery coach Jesse Marsch, Canada is a capable side that can sometimes lack the cohesion to push through. When David is at his best, as he was against Qatar, he can be deadly. But there are also games — like the Bosnia match — when it seems he can’t hit the broad side of a barn. Which version of the star striker shows up against South Africa will be key. Also important will be the status of defender Alphonso Davies. The Bayern Munich man hasn’t played at this World Cup yet as he recovers from a long series of injuries. Marsch has said he may be available against South Africa, but he also said the same before the Switzerland match before revealing he had used Davies as a “decoy” to make the Swiss waste time in their preparations. 

For South Africa, a disastrous start against Mexico improved with a 1-1 draw against Czechia and the win over South Korea. Most of the team plays in the domestic South African league and few expected South Africa to get to this stage, let alone as a second place team. A date with the Canadians will be tough, but the South Korea match showed Bofana Bofana can handle pressure. This has been a World Cup of underdogs and it would be foolish to completely count South Africa out. 

A tight match is likely in store with both sides not exactly overflowing with attacking talent. Expect this one to stay close.

Canada vs. South Africa picks, prediction

Both teams to score (+104)

South Africa slowly progressed as the tournament went on. They haven’t scored more than one goal in a match in this tournament yet, but a one-goal showing from Bofana Bofana gets us where we need to go if Canada also finds the back of the net, as they should. 

Cyle Larin anytime goalscorer including extra time (+170)

A longtime fixture of the Canadian team, Larin has already scored twice at this World Cup and always seems to pop up when Canada needs a goal. It would hardly be a surprise if he bags a goal in Canada’s first-ever game in the knockouts. 

India vs Ireland Live Streaming 2nd T20I: India will take on Ireland in the second T20I of the two-match series on Sunday in Belfast. The reigning T20 World Cup champions were outplayed in all three departments on Friday, as Ireland recovered from 36/3 to post 182/9 before dismissing India for 148, registering their first-ever T20I victory over the Men in Blue. The result not only handed Ireland a 1-0 lead in the series but also put them one win away from what would arguably be the biggest bilateral T20I series triumph in their history.

For India, Sunday’s contest is about far more than just levelling the series. It is an opportunity to respond after a performance that exposed flaws in both planning and execution. The focus will also be on India’s playing XI, especially after 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi did not feature in the opening match.

When will the India vs Ireland, 2ndT20I match be played?

The India vs Ireland, 2nd T20I match will be played on Sunday, June 28.

Where will the India vs Ireland, 2nd T20I match be played?

The India vs Ireland, 2nd T20I match will be played at the Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

What time will the India vs Ireland, 2nd T20I match start?

The India vs Ireland, 2nd T20I match will start at 6 PM IST. The toss will take place 30 minutes before.

Which TV channels will telecast the India vs Ireland, 2nd T20I match?

The India vs Ireland, 2nd T20I match will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network.

Where to follow the live streaming of the India vs Ireland, 2nd T20I match?

The India vs Ireland, 2nd T20I match will be streamed live on SonyLiv app and website.

(All the details are as per the information provided by the broadcaster)

Featured Video Of The Day

Delhi vs Mumbai IPL 2026: Fans Flood Arun Jaitley Stadium for High-Voltage Clash

Roy Jones Jr has urged Errol Spence Jr to adapt his approach, and rediscover elements of his amateur style, ahead of his comeback fight against Tim Tszyu.

‘The Truth’ has not fought since his undisputed encounter with Terence Crawford, back when he suffered a surprisingly one-sided ninth-round stoppage defeat in July 2023.

As a result, Spence was relieved of his WBC, IBF and WBA welterweight titles before stepping away from the sport and giving no indication as to whether he would return.

Now, though, the 36-year-old is gearing up to face fellow former world champion Tszyu, who will boast a home advantage when they collide in Australia on July 25.

The pair have reportedly agreed to a limit of 158lbs, with Spence looking to reinvent himself at a new weight and with a new trainer.

Such changes can partly be explained by his defeat to Crawford, as Spence has since expressed his disappointment with the training camp that had been arranged by his then-head coach, Derrick James.

Now training with Ronnie Shields, this feels like an opportunity for the American to right the wrongs and perhaps even gain inspiration from his old amateur style.

Speaking with ALL THE SMOKE FIGHT, Hall of Famer Jones said he would like to see Spence focus more on being an all-round boxer, rather than an all-out pressure fighter.

“Shout out to [Spence] for taking a fight of this magnitude right away, after being [out the ring] for three years.

“He’s taking on a guy who’s been active. [Tszyu’s] not been at the top – not had the best outcomes [in recent fights] – but he’s been highly active and he’s highly dangerous.

“When [Spence] was an amateur fighter, he was an all-round boxer. He just chose to use pressure in the pros but, to get where he wants to get, he’s got to go back to being that [fighter he was as an amateur].”

Spence was a vastly accomplished amateur who became a three-time national champion and entered the 2012 Olympics, only to lose his quarter-final bout against Russia’s Andrey Zamkovoy.