France, Norway, Mexico Advance as World Cup Knockout Stage Continues

Tuesday’s Round of 32 action at the 2026 FIFA World Cup saw three more nations book places in the Round of 16, with France, Norway and Mexico advancing to keep their championship hopes alive.

While France reinforced its status as one of the tournament favorites, Norway continued its impressive run behind the outstanding play of Erling Haaland, and Mexico thrilled home supporters with another memorable victory.

France produced one of its strongest performances of the tournament in a 3-0 victory over Sweden. Kylian Mbappé led the attack once again as Les Bleus controlled possession and created chances throughout the match. France will now face surprise quarterfinal hopeful Paraguay, which eliminated Germany in a penalty shootout earlier in the knockout stage.

Norway continued its breakthrough tournament with a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast. Erling Haaland remained the focal point of the Norwegian attack and helped his nation reach the Round of 16, where it now faces another major test against Brazil. Norway has emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest surprises and continues to shorten on many futures betting boards.

Mexico completed the day’s action with an impressive 2-0 victory over Ecuador before a packed crowd at Estadio Azteca. The co-host nation controlled much of the match and now advances to face the winner of Wednesday’s England-DR Congo matchup. Mexico’s disciplined defense and home-field advantage have made El Tri one of the more dangerous dark-horse teams remaining in the field.

Tuesday Results

• Norway 2, Ivory Coast 1 – Norway advanced behind another strong performance from Erling Haaland.
• France 3, Sweden 0 – Kylian Mbappé and France cruised into the Round of 16.
• Mexico 2, Ecuador 0 – Mexico delighted the home crowd to continue its World Cup run.

Wednesday’s Round of 32 Matchups

Wednesday features three more knockout matches as Team USA begins its elimination-round campaign.

• England vs. DR Congo
  • Time: Noon ET
  • TV: FOX
  • Representative Odds: England -280, Draw +380, DR Congo +700
  • Key Players: Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham (England); Yoane Wissa, Cédric Bakambu (DR Congo)
  • What to Watch: England looks to avoid becoming the latest heavyweight to suffer an upset against a disciplined DR Congo side.
• Belgium vs. Senegal
  • Time: 4 p.m. ET
  • TV: FOX
  • Representative Odds: Belgium +120, Draw +220, Senegal +255
  • Key Players: Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku (Belgium); Sadio Mané, Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal)
  • What to Watch: Belgium enters with momentum, but Senegal has already shown it can compete with elite opponents.
• United States vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET
  • TV: FOX
  • Representative Odds: United States -170, Draw +300, Bosnia and Herzegovina +475
  • Key Players: Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun (USA); Edin Džeko, Esmir Bajraktarević (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  • What to Watch: The Americans return several regular starters after resting players in the group-stage finale and will try to reach the Round of 16 on home soil.

Betting Outlook

With Germany and the Netherlands already eliminated, the championship futures betting market continues to tighten around a handful of favorites at sportsbooks like FanDuel and BetMGM.

France’s dominant victory further strengthened its position near the top of the board, while Norway and Mexico both saw their odds improve after advancing.

Norway has become one of the tournament’s fastest-rising teams thanks to Haaland’s goal-scoring form, while Mexico has gained momentum as a legitimate sleeper after advancing in front of its home fans.

Wednesday’s slate could bring additional movement, particularly if Team USA, Belgium or England fail to advance, adding to what has already been one of the most unpredictable World Cups in recent memory.