MOGADISHU, Somalia — June 30, 2026 —Morocco made FIFA World Cup history by becoming the first African nation to reach the Round of 16 at the 2026 tournament after defeating the Netherlands 3-2 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in Monterrey, Mexico. The victory capped a dramatic night of knockout football that also saw Germany eliminated by Paraguay on penalties, while Brazil and Canada secured hard-fought victories to advance.

Morocco secured one of the tournament’s biggest upsets after overcoming the Netherlands in a tense Round of 32 encounter.

The Dutch took the lead in the 72nd minute through Cody Gakpo and appeared on course for qualification. However, Morocco equalized in stoppage time when Issa Diop headed home to force extra time.

Neither side managed to find a winner during the additional 30 minutes, sending the contest to penalties.

Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou produced a decisive save from Crysencio Summerville before Ismael Saibari converted the winning spot kick to seal a historic 3-2 shootout victory. Morocco will now face tournament co-host Canada in the Round of 16.

The result marks Morocco’s first qualification for the Round of 16 under the expanded 48-team World Cup format and makes them the first African team to reach that stage at the 2026 finals.

Germany Also Crash Out

Earlier in the day, another European heavyweight exited the tournament after Paraguay defeated Germany 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw.

Germany’s elimination, coupled with the Netherlands’ defeat, represented one of the biggest nights of surprises since the knockout stage began.

Brazil and Canada Advance

Brazil avoided an upset by defeating Japan 2-1 thanks to a late winning goal.

Canada, one of the tournament’s co-hosts, also progressed after edging South Africa 1-0 with a stoppage-time winner, setting up a Round of 16 meeting against Morocco.

Today’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 Fixtures

Several more places in the Round of 16 will be decided on Tuesday and the coming days.

Today’s matches include:

Teams Eliminated So Far

Following Monday night’s action, four nations have been knocked out of the tournament:

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition featuring 48 participating nations and a new Round of 32 knockout stage following the group phase.

The expanded format has already produced several closely contested matches, including multiple games decided by late goals and penalty shootouts.

Morocco entered the knockout phase after an impressive group-stage campaign and has continued to build on the country’s recent success on the international stage. The Atlas Lions reached the semifinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first African nation to achieve that milestone. Their latest victory reinforces Morocco’s position among the continent’s leading football nations.

Morocco will face Canada in the Round of 16, while Paraguay and Brazil await their next opponents as the remaining knockout fixtures continue over the coming days.

Several traditional football powers, including France, England, Spain, Portugal and Argentina, are still to begin their Round of 32 campaigns, with the race for the quarterfinals continuing throughout the week.

Morocco’s victory is another significant milestone for African football. Becoming the first African team to reach the Round of 16 at the expanded 2026 World Cup highlights the growing competitiveness of teams from the continent on the global stage.

The simultaneous elimination of Germany and the Netherlands demonstrates the unpredictable nature of the tournament’s new knockout format. With several traditional football powers already eliminated, the competition has become increasingly open, creating opportunities for emerging football nations to challenge for deeper runs in the tournament.