World Cup 2026 in pictures: Fans steal the spotlight as Spain, Portugal and Switzerland advance to Round of 16

The FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage gathered pace on July 2, Thursday, with three European nations booking their places in the next round after hard-fought victories across North America. At Los Angeles Stadium, Spain produced one of the most convincing performances of the Round of 32, defeating Austria 3-0 to underline their title credentials. Meanwhile, Portugal edged past Croatia 2-1 in a closely contested encounter at Toronto Stadium, while Switzerland completed the day's action with a 2-1 win over Algeria at BC Place in Vancouver. The trio of results ensured Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland progressed to the Round of 16, setting up an intriguing next phase of the tournament as the race for football's biggest prize intensifies. Below are some of the most eye-catching moments from those matches.

From stunning goals to emotional celebrations, here are the most memorable moments from Thursday's FIFA World Cup Round of 32 action.

The knockout action continues on July 3 with another packed schedule featuring three Round of 32 clashes across the United States. The day's action begins at Dallas Stadium, where Australia takes on Egypt at 2 p.m. ET. Attention then shifts to Miami Stadium as defending world champions Argentina face tournament surprise package Cape Verde at 6 p.m. ET in one of the day's most anticipated fixtures. The final match sees Colombia meet Ghana at Kansas City Stadium at 9:30 p.m. ET, with all three winners securing their place in the Round of 16. As the knockout phase gathers momentum, every match now carries the ultimate consequence: advance one step closer to World Cup glory or see the dream come to an end.