The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has officially entered its thrilling knockout phase with the start of the Round of 32. Yesterday evening saw just one fixture, a hard-fought battle in Los Angeles where Canada secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over South Africa in injury time.

Initially, 16 European nations were among the 48 teams competing at the tournament’s outset. This included France, the reigning vice-champions and two-time winners in 1998 and 2018. Following the previous round’s eliminations of the Czech Republic, Scotland, and Turkey, 13 European teams now remain in contention for the coveted trophy.

Throughout the World Cup, we are closely tracking the performance and significant news surrounding the European selections. Here’s what you need to know from the eighteenth day of competition, Sunday, June 28, concerning the European contenders.

The numbers speak 📊

215

With 72 group stage matches concluded over 16 days, the 2026 World Cup has already surpassed previous goal-scoring records. A remarkable 215 goals were tallied before the first Round of 32 match last night, averaging 2.99 goals per game. This impressive feat significantly outstrips the previous record of 172 goals set during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

It is important to note that earlier editions of the tournament featured a maximum of 64 matches with 32 teams, while this North American World Cup features an expanded format of 104 matches and 48 teams.

The quote 🎙️

I couldn’t place it on a map. In fact, I know nothing about this country and I have no desire to know.

Abigail Vélez, American journalist for local channel ABC7 Los Angeles

This particular comment caused quite a stir. While reporting live from Long Beach, a suburb of Los Angeles, American journalist Abigail Vélez made a candid statement about the upcoming July 2nd match between the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina. She admitted to knowing nothing about the European nation (which is a candidate for EU membership).

The clip quickly went viral across social media platforms, with the “Bosnian Football” account sharing the extract, which has since garnered over 8 million views. The declaration was particularly embarrassing given that Almin Karamehmedovic, the head of news for the entire ABC network, was born in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Faced with public outcry, the journalist subsequently issued an apology.

Under the spotlight 🔎

Good news for French supporters remaining in Europe: the France national team is scheduled to play all their matches no later than 11 PM (French time), regardless of their progression through the tournament, right up to a potential final appearance.

Les Bleus will commence their knockout stage campaign against Sweden on Tuesday at 11 PM. Should they qualify, their next opponent would be the winner of the Germany versus Paraguay match, also scheduled for 11 PM on July 4th, coinciding with American Independence Day.

Their quarter-final match is slated for Thursday, July 9th, at 10 PM, followed by a potential semi-final on Tuesday, July 14th, at 9 PM. The grand final itself is set for Sunday, July 19th, also at 9 PM.

European football news 📰

A prediction that might not please German fans: Gary Lineker, England’s top scorer at the 1986 World Cup (with 6 goals), views France as the overwhelming favorite for this North American Mundial.

In an interview with L’Équipe newspaper, Lineker confidently stated his belief regarding a potential Round of 16 clash between Germany and France. The former striker is convinced that Les Bleus would secure an easy victory against what he described as “one of the weakest German national teams” he has ever witnessed.

For context, the Mannschaft is set to face Paraguay at Gillette Stadium (Foxborough) this Monday, June 29th, at 10:30 PM in their Round of 32 encounter.