What happened: The confirmed Round of 32 schedule for the 2026 World Cup runs from June 28 through July 3 across host venues in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The slate opens Sunday with South Africa against Canada in Los Angeles, followed Monday by Brazil-Japan in Houston, Germany-Paraguay in Boston and Netherlands-Morocco in Monterrey. All three co-hosts feature in the bracket, with the United States facing Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1.

Why it matters: The Round of 32 is the first true elimination stage of the expanded 48-team field, where a single result ends a tournament. Powerhouses Brazil, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and Argentina headline a draw that also gives debutants and upstarts like Cape Verde, DR Congo and Bosnia a knockout stage. For the co-hosts, the United States that booked its place in the round of 32 now turns to win-or-go-home soccer on home soil.

What to watch: Watch whether the favorites navigate the round cleanly or whether a tournament debutant pulls a shock, and which two of the three co-hosts advance to the last 16.