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# Winners and losers from the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32: Germany go home, Morocco stay, and Australia are out on penalties
- URL: https://www.theref.com.au/winners-and-losers-from-the-2026-fifa-world-cup-round-of-32-germany-go-home-morocco-stay-and-australia-are-out-on-penalties/
- Published: 2026-07-05T09:16:24.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-05T09:16:24.000Z
- Description: The most dramatic opening knockout round in World Cup history is complete. Here's what the expanded 48-team format delivered - and who it swallowed.
- Author: The Ref Editorial

The first-ever FIFA World Cup Round of 32 ran from 28 June to 3 July across 14 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Sixteen matches. Sixteen days of single-elimination football. A format that, in its first outing, produced late winners, extraordinary penalty shoot-outs, and the elimination of multiple former champions before the Round of 16 had even been drawn.

The verdict? As a piece of sporting spectacle, it worked. As a measure of footballing quality, your mileage may vary. Here are the winners and the losers.

### Winners

**Morocco:** The Atlas Lions are the story of the tournament so far. They eliminated the Netherlands - twice-finalists - on penalties at Estadio Monterrey after a 1–1 draw. Cody Gakpo's equaliser in the 72nd minute gave the Dutch hope; Issa Diop's reply in the 90th minute stole it back. Morocco won the shoot-out 3–2\. They then dispatched Canada 3–0 in the Round of 16 opener on Saturday. Walid Regragui's team is genuinely dangerous.

**France:** Kylian Mbappé scored twice in a commanding 3–0 defeat of Sweden that had moments of breathtaking individual quality. Michael Olise added the third. This is a France side that, when operating at their ceiling, nobody in the tournament can live with. They face Paraguay - who shocked Germany - next.

**Paraguay:** This is the upset of the round, and it is not close. Germany - one of world football's great powers, winners of four World Cups - were eliminated in a penalty shoot-out after drawing 1–1 with Paraguay. Jurgen Klopp was reportedly furious post-match, publicly blaming the referee for a critical VAR decision. Paraguay are into the Round of 16 for only the fourth time in their history. They face France on Saturday.

**USA:** Mauricio Pochettino's side defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–0 with 10 men after Folarin Balogun's red card. Balogun had opened the scoring in the 45th minute; Malik Tillman sealed it in the 82nd. The United States, on home soil, are building momentum. They face Belgium next — a match that will tell us whether this is a genuine title contender or a team riding the wave of host advantage.

**Erling Haaland:** Norway eliminated Ivory Coast 2–1 through a Haaland winner that sent Norwegian fans into scenes of extraordinary celebration across Oslo. The 25-year-old is now the tournament's joint top scorer and the most dangerous centre-forward in the competition. Brazil or Mexico stand between Norway and the quarterfinals.

### Losers

**Australia:** The Socceroos went to extra time against Egypt and took the match to penalties. They lost 4–2 on spot-kicks after a 1–1 draw in which an own goal in the second half cancelled out Emam Ashour's opener for Egypt. It was Australia's third consecutive World Cup exit in the round of 16 or equivalent. Football Australia will face hard questions about the pathway.

**Germany:** A team of Klopp's quality losing to Paraguay on penalties at a World Cup in North America will be remembered as one of the great upsets. Germany had defeated Spain and Argentina in their last two major tournament encounters. Paraguay had never been considered a realistic threat. The post-mortem in Germany will be thorough and painful.

**Netherlands:** Louis van Gaal's third stint as Dutch coach ends in the round of 32\. Morocco's physicality and organisation in the penalty shoot-out exposed a Dutch side that dominated possession but created only six shots to Morocco's eleven. Cody Gakpo was the only Dutch player who genuinely looked like he could unlock the Atlas Lions defence.

### Full Round of 32 Results

Canada 1–0 South Africa (June 28) • Brazil 2–1 Japan (June 29) • Germany 1–1 Paraguay — Paraguay 4–3 on pens (June 29) • Morocco 1–1 Netherlands — Morocco 3–2 on pens (June 29) • Norway 2–1 Ivory Coast (June 30) • France 3–0 Sweden (June 30) • Mexico 2–0 Ecuador (June 30) • England 2–1 DR Congo (July 1) • Belgium 3–2 Senegal aet (July 1) • USA 2–0 Bosnia and Herzegovina (July 1) • Spain 3–0 Austria (July 2) • Portugal 2–1 Croatia (July 2) • Switzerland 2–0 Algeria (July 2) • Egypt 1–1 Australia — Egypt 4–2 on pens (July 3) • Argentina 3–2 Cape Verde aet (July 3) • Colombia 1–0 Ghana (July 3)