Brazil Survives, Paraguay and Morocco Pull Off Stunning Upsets in FIFA World Cup Action

Monday’s Round of 32 action at the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered plenty of drama, with Brazil narrowly avoiding an upset while Germany and the Netherlands were both eliminated in penalty shootouts.

By the end of the day, Paraguay and Morocco had produced two of the biggest surprises of the tournament, dramatically reshaping the knockout bracket.

Brazil was the only pre-tournament favorite to advance on Monday, edging Japan 2-1 after a stoppage-time winner from Gabriel Martinelli. Japan pushed the five-time champions throughout the match and appeared destined for extra time before Brazil found the decisive goal in the closing moments. The victory keeps Brazil’s quest for a record sixth World Cup title alive.

The day’s biggest shock came in Foxborough, where Paraguay eliminated four-time champion Germany 4-3 on penalties after the teams finished tied 1-1 through extra time. Germany dominated possession for long stretches and even had a potential extra-time winner overturned following a VAR review before the match went to penalties. Paraguay converted the decisive spot kick to send one of the tournament favorites home.

Later Monday night, Morocco joined Paraguay among the surprise winners by defeating the Netherlands in another penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw. Ismael Saibari converted the winning penalty after Morocco erased a late deficit in regulation, setting up a Round of 16 meeting with Canada.

Monday Results

• Brazil 2, Japan 1 – Gabriel Martinelli scored in stoppage time to send Brazil into the Round of 16.
• Paraguay 1, Germany 1 (Paraguay won 4-3 on penalties) – One of the biggest upsets of the tournament knocked Germany out.
• Morocco 1, Netherlands 1 (Morocco won 3-2 on penalties) – Morocco advanced after another dramatic penalty shootout.

Tuesday’s Round of 32 Schedule

Tuesday features three more knockout matches as several championship contenders begin their elimination-round campaigns. The action offers plenty of opportunities for those who enjoy soccer betting.

• Ivory Coast vs. Norway
  • Time: 1 p.m. ET
  • TV: FOX
  • Location: AT&T Stadium (Dallas)
  • Key players: Erling Haaland (Norway), Mohamed Diomandé (Ivory Coast)
  • What to watch: Haaland looks to continue his outstanding tournament against a physical Ivory Coast defense.
• France vs. Sweden
  • Time: 5 p.m. ET
  • TV: FOX
  • Location: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)
  • Key players: Kylian Mbappé, Mike Maignan (France); Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden)
  • What to watch: France enters as one of the tournament favorites, while Sweden hopes to produce another major upset.
• Mexico vs. Ecuador
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET
  • TV: FOX
  • Location: Estadio Azteca (Mexico City)
  • Key players: Santiago Giménez (Mexico), Moisés Caicedo (Ecuador)
  • What to watch: Mexico will have home support as it attempts to reach the Round of 16 against an Ecuador side that already owns a notable upset over Germany during group play.

Betting Outlook After Monday’s Upsets

Germany’s elimination and the Netherlands’ exit significantly reshaped the championship futures betting market. Brazil’s dramatic victory helped solidify its standing among the favorites, while Paraguay and Morocco saw some of the largest odds movements of the tournament after advancing.

Updated World Cup Championship Favorites

With Germany and the Netherlands out of the field, sportsbooks like BetMGM and Caesars are expected to continue adjusting futures prices throughout the Round of 32. Brazil’s survival strengthened its championship outlook, while Paraguay and Morocco transformed from long shots into legitimate Cinderella stories capable of making deeper runs through the knockout bracket.