The first Round of 32 iteration of a FIFA World Cup tournament finally came to an end.
32 countries played, only 16 progressed to the next stage.
And with Croatia's qualification, the Round of 16 draw was finalized.
[Round of 16 Draw:]
Netherlands vs Colombia Brazil vs Japan England vs Belgium Nigeria vs Spain France vs Portugal USA vs Sweden USA vs Croatia Argentina vs Egypt
8 games, all potential blockbuster encounters.
Football fans around the world were hyped.
The 8 games would be played across 4 days, the first Round of 16 game scheduled for July 8th, while the final Round of 16 game was scheduled for July 11th.
With the draw finalized, football fans waited in anticipation, fanning the flames of banter on social media even as the professional players locked in, preparing for the Round of 16 in their respective training centers.
Time moved fast. In a jiffy, it was D-day.
[FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16]
[Match 1: Netherlands vs Colombia]
