Here are the teams that survived the Round of 32's Russian Roulette

The inaugural Round of 32 matches in FIFA World Cup history are now complete. They delivered far more drama than anticipated, with many encounters leaving a lasting mark. Following these thrilling contests, 16 teams remain in contention for the coveted trophy at the 2026 World Cup, with the Round of 16 kicking off today, July 4th (Saturday).

Surprisingly, or perhaps not, all three co-hosts – USA, Canada, and Mexico – not only survived the group stage but also successfully navigated the first knockout round.

The "Maple Leafs" will open the Round of 16 battles today as they face Morocco. The "Atlas Lions," for their part, once again proved to be a nightmare for European giants at this World Cup, this time eliminating the Netherlands after a penalty shootout. Canada, meanwhile, edged out South Africa in their match with a dramatic victory in added time.

The "Yanks" and "Aztecs" reached this stage with less effort, confidently winning their respective matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ecuador.

Meanwhile, Paraguay pulled off perhaps one of the biggest upsets, knocking out four-time world champions Germany. Reigning champions Argentina narrowly avoided a similar fate against Cape Verde, surviving a breathtaking thriller that went into extra time.

Brazil and England also had their moments of doubt against Japan and DR Congo, respectively, but managed to secure their victories within regular time. The biggest drama unfolded in the clash of titans between Portugal and Croatia, where the "Navigators" triumphed, and Luka Modric officially hung up his boots.

France, Kylian Mbappé, and company continued their march towards a third consecutive final, proving too strong for Sweden, who featured Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak. European champions Spain were equally uncompromising against Austria and are now dreaming of leading a new golden generation to World Cup glory.

Erling Haaland delivered when it mattered most, pulling Norway through against Ivory Coast.

Another European side, Belgium, was also on the brink of elimination but staged a comeback from 0-2 down against Senegal. Africa, as a whole, had little to celebrate, as Algeria also bid farewell to the tournament after a defeat to Switzerland.

The final night of the Round of 32 saw Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush's Egypt endure yet another dramatic penalty shootout, ultimately eliminating Australia.

The concluding act then belonged to Colombia, who secured a narrow victory over Ghana, despite having opportunities to win by a larger margin.

Now, a new thrilling phase of eight clashes awaits, promising even more drama. You can watch these, along with all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup, live on bnt.sportal.bg.