The race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy enters a decisive phase on Saturday as the Round of 16 gets underway, with the remaining 16 teams battling for a place in the quarter-finals.

African hopes now rest on Morocco and Egypt, the continent’s last surviving representatives in the tournament.

Morocco will be the first African side in action, taking on hosts Canada on Saturday evening, while Egypt face defending champions Argentina on Tuesday in a high-stakes knockout encounter.

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Among the favourites still in contention, France will continue their pursuit of a third consecutive FIFA World Cup final appearance when they face Paraguay later on Saturday.

The knockout stage also features several blockbuster fixtures involving football’s biggest nations. Five-time champions Brazil will take on Norway, while England lock horns with Mexico in another highly anticipated clash.

An all-European showdown between Portugal and Spain is expected to be one of the standout fixtures of the Round of 16, while the United States will face Belgium for a place in the last eight.

The final knockout match will see Switzerland battle Colombia.

Round of 16 Fixtures (WAT)

Saturday, July 4

Canada vs Morocco – 6:00 p.m.

Paraguay vs France – 10:00 p.m.

Sunday, July 5

Brazil vs Norway – 9:00 p.m.

Monday, July 6

Mexico vs England – 1:00 a.m.

Portugal vs Spain – 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, July 7

USA vs Belgium – 1:00 a.m.

Argentina vs Egypt – 5:00 p.m.

Switzerland vs Colombia – 9:00 p.m.

With quarter-final places at stake, fans around the world are expected to witness intense battles as the road to lifting football’s biggest prize becomes increasingly challenging.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has revealed what happened moments after his side’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Cape Verde in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16, joking that the same players who challenged him physically during the match lined up to ask for his jersey and take selfies.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner played a key role as Argentina booked their place in the quarter-finals after overcoming a spirited Cape Verde side in Miami on Friday.

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Speaking after the match, Messi laughed about the contrast between the fierce battles on the pitch and the admiration shown by Cape Verde’s players once the final whistle blew.

“They asked for my jersey, everything… On the field, they kick the crap out of me,” Messi said with a smile.

Despite securing qualification, the Argentine skipper admitted his team did not produce their best performance.

According to him, Argentina failed to maintain control after taking the lead, allowing their opponents to mount sustained pressure.

“We lost possession, we sat back, we couldn’t press effectively,” Messi said while reflecting on areas his team must improve ahead of the next round.

Messi, however, praised Argentina’s progress from set-piece situations, noting that the team had spent considerable time working on both attacking and defensive routines.

“We’ve been working on it for a while, both offensively and defensively. In a competition like this, it’s important,” he added.

The victory also marked another historic milestone for the 39-year-old, who scored his 20th career FIFA World Cup goal to further extend his remarkable record on football’s biggest stage.

Argentina will now shift focus to a quarter-final showdown against Egypt, who secured their place after defeating Australia in a penalty shootout.

The light-hearted exchange between Messi and the Cape Verde players after the game quickly drew attention, highlighting the respect the Argentine legend continues to command from opponents across the world.

Following the significant increase to the prize money for winners of Nigeria’s top-flight football league, strategic partners to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), GTI Asset Management & Trust Limited, have commended the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for their renewed commitment to the development and transformation of the NPFL.

This was detailed in a press statement in Lagos, under the signature of its Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, the GTI described the decision as a bold and encouraging step that reflects the determination of Nigeria’s sports administrators to reposition the NPFL as a more competitive and commercially attractive league, in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“GTI commends this progressive initiative. Increasing the NPFL prize money sends a strong statement of intent that will undoubtedly motivate clubs, improve competitiveness, and send the right signals to investors and stakeholders about the future of Nigerian football. Additional financial commitment from the NSC to strengthen the operations of the NPFL will further accelerate its development,” Ekejiuba said.

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He also paid tribute to NPFL Board and GTI Group, for their unwavering commitment over the past four years to advancing and repositioning the league through innovative reforms, strategic investments, and a clear vision for sustainable football development.

“The contributions of GTI Group cannot be overlooked. Over the last four years, we have remained steadfast in supporting the NPFL and helping to lay the foundation for a more structured, commercially viable, and globally competitive football league. Our vision and commitment have continued to inspire confidence in the future of Nigerian club football, particularly through the extensive work of strengthening the league’s corporate governance, commercial value and making it more attractive to investors.”

Ekejiuba emphasized that effective synergy among football’s key institutions is essential for meaningful progress.

“This collaboration is not an end in itself but a means to an end, because it serves as catalyst upon which the real work continues.”

While expressing optimism about the recent developments, Ekejiuba cautioned against premature celebration.

“It is not yet time to celebrate because there is still a great deal of work to be done. Beyond increasing prize money, we must continue to strengthen governance, improve club licensing, enhance infrastructure, improve quality of production, create efficient content and data management, ensure financial accountability, deepen fan engagement, and build confidence among corporate Nigeria and international investors.

“In line with GTI’s vision, our commitment remains to work closely with the NPFL in order to build an accountable, transparent, and conducive football ecosystem that will naturally attract more partners, corporate sponsors, and investors to Nigeria’s elite league. This is how sustainable growth is achieved and a clear pathway to building one of Africa’s most respected football leagues.

“This collaboration between the NSC and NFF further compliments the efforts of the NPFL Board and GTI. We therefore, welcome more partners to join this transformation journey because the current value including the grant recently announced represents less than two per cent of the league’s overall potential revenues which we expect to unlock over the next five years,” he concluded.