Sports 4 July 2026

World Cup: Morocco knock out Canada as the last 16 heats up before Portugal-Spain

A Saturday of knockout ties at the 2026 World Cup: Morocco thrashed one of the hosts and France faced Paraguay, with the Iberian derby waiting on Monday.

The 2026 World Cup round of 16 rolled on this Saturday with a result that made noise: Morocco beat Canada 3-0 in Houston and knocked out one of the tournament’s three host nations. The Atlas Lions, marshalled by the experience of Achraf Hakimi, once again show that their run at the previous World Cup was no fluke, and settle comfortably among the best.

Later in the day, US east-coast time, France took the field in Philadelphia against Paraguay, in a match shaped by the suffocating heat gripping that side of the Atlantic too. The favourites dominated the ball, but the South Americans sat in with discipline and held the goalless scoreline for long stretches, forcing the champions to knock and knock again at the door.

What it means for Portugal

Each of these results keeps redrawing the side of the bracket where Portugal could land next. The national team is in action on Monday, in Dallas, against Spain, in the Iberian duel nobody wanted so soon but that promises to pack cafés and living rooms across the country. A winner among the Moroccans, the French and company could be the next obstacle in the quarter-finals.

For now, the feeling is that this expanded World Cup, with more teams and more games, is delivering what it promised: upsets, hosts falling early, and a knockout map that changes face every afternoon. We had already covered the Iberian derby in the last 16 and the logic holds — in knockout football, no favourite is worth much. The official schedule and results are on FIFA’s site.

By Vasco Almada

Illustrative · Photo: Franco Monsalvo / Pexels

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Portuguese canoeist Ana Brito waves from her kayak in Portugal's colours on the Mar Piccolo course in Taranto

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