The round of 16 gets underway at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday on a date when the host country will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of its founding. The day begins in Houston, where Canada takes on an impressive Morocco team that has the ambition of making yet another deep run.
The day then concludes in Philadelphia, just miles from where the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. In this match, pre-tournament France will aim to continue its dominant run at this World Cup when it takes on a Paraguay team that is fresh off its stunning elimination of Germany.
Here is all you need to know for Saturday’s two matches.
When: Saturday, July 4, 1 p.m. ET
Where: Houston
TV: FOX
Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One
Canada and Morocco will open the tournament’s round of 16 on Saturday at Houston Stadium in a rematch of a group stage game at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which the Moroccans won 2-1.
Entering this tournament, Canada and Morocco had very different expectations and different histories at the World Cup. Canada arrived having lost all six World Cup matches in its history, but the past few years have seen the team take meaningful steps towards growth under American head coach Jesse Marsch. It had a run to the semifinals at the 2024 Copa América and is now into the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup after winning its first World Cup knockout stage match.
Not everything has been smooth for the Canadians at this tournament, but the team has responded well when its back has been up against the wall. After a lackluster draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada responded with a 6-0 blowout win over Qatar to clinch a spot in the knockout stage. After a disappointing loss to Switzerland in the group stage finale, Canada emerged victorious after a hard-fought 1-0 win over South Africa on a late goal from Stephen Eustáquio.
Canada captain Alphonso Davies logged his first minutes at this World Cup when he subbed on in its win over South Africa. (Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Canada has some impressive attackers in Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, and winger Tajon Buchanan, although all have been inconsistent during this tournament. Against Morocco, Marsch will need top performances from each.
In addition, it remains to be seen what role Alphonso Davies will play. The Bayern Munich right back made his return from injury in South Africa when he subbed into the match in the 75th minute for his first minutes at the tournament. But he still might not be ready to start due to a lingering hamstring injury.
For Canada to advance to the quarterfinals, it will need a historic upset as Morocco has lived up to the expectation that it can contend for this World Cup. After an impressive 1-1 draw with Brazil, where it was the better team for long stretches, Morocco rounded out its group stages with a 1-0 win over Scotland and a 4-2 win over Haiti.
But Morocco’s round of 32 match against the Netherlands was one of the tournament’s best games so far. The Netherlands took the lead against the run of play before Morocco equalized late in stoppage time through a goal from central defender Issa Diop. Diop only switched his national team representation from France to Morocco just before final rosters were due. After controlling most of the game, Morocco prevailed in a shootout.
Ismael Saibari has scored three times already in this World Cup. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
This Morocco team is extremely talented and has only improved after its run to the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Forward Ismael Saibari scored three goals in the group stage and earlier this week sealed his transfer to Bayern Munich from PSV Eindhoven. Meanwhile, Achraf Hakimi of Paris St. Germain is one of the best right backs in the world, Brahim Díaz is a talented winger for Real Madrid, and teenage central midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi is one of the top young players at this tournament.
Morocco is the heavy favorite in this game and while Canada lost its home-field advantage by not winning its group, plenty of Canadians should be in Texas to support the team.
Player to Watch
The Spanish-born Paris Saint-Germain right back is elite at pushing forward into the attack. If Davies cannot play for Canada, or if he is not close to full strength, Hakimi should have plenty of time and space to be a threat on the right side. He has been exceptional in this tournament and has played every minute of Morocco’s four games.
When: Saturday, July 4, 5 p.m. ET
Where: Philadelphia
TV: FOX
Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One
A spot in the quarterfinals is on the line when pre-tournament favorites France battles Paraguay on Saturday in what should be an extremely hot night at Philadelphia Stadium.
Paraguay arrives in this game against all odds, but its best moments have come in two shocking upsets over two European teams. In the group stages, Paraguay defended its way to a 1-0 win over Türkiye despite playing with 10 men for the entire second half.
Then, in the round of 32, Paraguay turned in the biggest upset of the tournament thus far when it advanced past Germany in a shootout after the teams played to a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes.
Under head coach Gustavo Alfaro, Paraguay was able to quickly move past its opening 4-1 loss to the USA and find ways to grind out results against good teams. The team’s commitment to its defensive shape and structure. Against Germany, Paraguay frustrated Die Mannschaft, who had most of the possession but little in terms of dangerous chances.
La Albirroja’s success stems from their midfielders and backline. Matias Galarza has been one of the team’s best players in the tournament. Galarza, whose loan to Atlanta United ended earlier in the World Cup, assisted on Julio Enciso’s goal against Germany, converted his shootout attempt and scored the winning goal against Türkiye.
Paraguay’s Matias Galarza has made several clutch plays for his team in the World Cup. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
But it is not just Galarza and Enciso who have stood out. Paraguay’s backline of José Canale, Gustavo Gómez, Juan Cáceres and Júnior Alonso, along with goalkeeper Orlando Gil, have all been key to getting the team to the round of 16.
However, Paraguay will face a test on an entirely different level when it takes on a French team that fields elite players at every single position. Kylian Mbappé has six goals from three braces at this World Cup. In the one game he did not score (against Norway), he picked up two assists.
Mbappé and his chase to match Lionel Messi’s World Cup goals record might receive most of the limelight when people talk about this France team. However, the key to making France unstoppable has been getting Ousmane Dembélé going. Prior to the second group stage game against Iraq, Dembélé had never scored in a World Cup game. That changed with his goal and an assist against Iraq. He then notched a hat trick against Norway and picked up an assist in the 3-0 win over Sweden in the round of 32.
Kylian Mbappé is two goals shy of Lionel Messi’s World Cup record. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Beyond Dembélé and Mbappé, the French talent is immense. Midfielder Michael Olise has been arguably the tournament’s best playmaker and winger Bradley Barcola has been effective, opening the game up with his skill.
To pull off another shocking upset, Paraguay will need to play even better defense than it has, and it will need a lot of luck. The heat wave that is gripping the East Coast also throws a bit of unpredictability into the equation, as we don’t know how the teams will respond.
Player to Watch
With Paraguay sitting deep in a well-disciplined and compact formation, it will require elite playmaking to cut through it. Olise has five assists and he has been instrumental to the success of Mbappé and Dembélé at this tournament. The Bayern Munich star should once again be pulling the strings for France in this tournament.