Three matches of the Round of 32 will continue the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs. Spain will face Austria, Portugal will take on Croatia, and Switzerland will meet Algeria for a place in the next round. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The game day will open with the match between Spain and Austria. The winner of this pair will play in the Round of 16 against the winner of the Portugal vs Croatia clash. Thus, the bracket could already offer several high-level European duels at an early stage.
The Spanish confidently won Group H, although they faced problems in the game against Cape Verde. Luis de la Fuente's team finished the first stage without defeat and sent Uruguay home in the decisive match. Spain is traditionally strong in ball possession, but at this World Cup they look not only technical but also quite pragmatic.
Austria had a much more nervous path to the playoffs. In the last round of Group J, the team drew 3:3 with Algeria and saved themselves in stoppage time thanks to a goal by Sasha Kalajdzic. This match showed both the strengths and weaknesses of the Austrians: the team is dangerous up front, knows how to come back, but is not always reliable without the ball.
For Spain, this will be a match where it is important not to get bogged down in the fight and not let Austria feel that the favorite can be shaken. For the Austrians, the chance is obvious: withstand the initial pressure, impose physical football, and use set pieces, where the team has enough performers.
The next pair is Portugal and Croatia. Here, the matchup looks almost classic for the playoffs: two experienced European teams that know how to play such matches at the limit of concentration.
Portugal advanced from Group K in second place. In the final round, the team drew 0:0 with Colombia, earned five points, and let the South Americans take the top spot. This is not the ideal scenario for the Portuguese, but the squad remains strong enough to be considered the favorite in a single elimination match.
Croatia also advanced from the group in second place. After a win over Ghana, the team moved up in Group L standings and got Portugal as an opponent. The Croats have long been accustomed to tournaments where patience, experience, and the ability to survive until the end decide a lot. It is in such matches that they are usually especially dangerous to write off early.
Portugal will try to quickly move the game to the opponent's penalty area and not let Croatia slow down the pace. The Croats, on the contrary, will likely try to stretch the match, make it more viscous, and wait for their chances. In the playoffs, such a scenario is almost native to them.
The program will conclude with the match between Switzerland and Algeria. The winner of this pair will play in the Round of 16 against the winner of the Colombia vs Ghana match.
Switzerland won Group B, ahead of Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Qatar. The team once again confirmed its reputation as a side that is hard to break: the Swiss rarely look the brightest, but they are almost always organized enough to punish opponents for mistakes.
Algeria advanced to the playoffs from third place in Group J. Their decisive match against Austria was one of the most dramatic in the group stage. Riyad Mahrez scored a brace, the Algerians were close to victory, but conceded in the 90+6th minute. However, the team is likely satisfied with this result because otherwise Algeria would have faced Spain.
Switzerland looks like the more balanced team in this pair, but Algeria has already proven that it can withstand pressure and respond with sharp attacks. If the African team finds its rhythm in transition phases again, the match in Vancouver could be much less predictable than it seems based on the opponents' status.
The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup started on June 11 and will end on July 19. The tournament is being held for the first time in three countries – the USA, Canada, and Mexico – and for the first time features 48 teams.
After the group stage, the two best teams from each group and the eight best third-placed teams advanced to the knockout stage.
The full schedule of Round of 32 matches is here.