FIFA World Cup round of 16 schedule and qualified teams announced

The round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup kicks off on December 3, marking the first knockout stage where the 16 surviving nations compete for a place in the quarter‑finals. Eight matches will be played across four host cities, each offering a decisive encounter that will determine the eight teams that advance to the next round of the tournament.

The opening fixtures see the Netherlands face the United States at 18:00 local time, followed by Argentina taking on Australia at 21:00 the same day. On December 4, France meets Poland at 18:00, while England challenges Senegal at 21:00. The following day, Japan plays Croatia at 18:00 and Brazil meets South Korea at 21:00. The final two round‑of‑16 matches are scheduled for December 6, with Morocco confronting Spain at 18:00 and Portugal battling Switzerland at 21:00. Winners of these eight contests will move on to the quarter‑finals, where the competition intensifies as the quest for the World Cup title continues.