LOS ANGELES: England and co-hosts United States advanced to the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after registering hard-fought victories in the knockout stage, while Belgium completed a dramatic comeback to book a meeting with the Americans.
England recovered from an early setback to defeat Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with captain Harry Kane scoring twice in the closing stages of the match.
The United States defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in Santa Clara despite being reduced to 10 men during the second half, while Belgium overturned a two-goal deficit to defeat Senegal 3-2 after extra time in Seattle.
How did England avoid an early World Cup exit?
The Democratic Republic of the Congo took the lead in the seventh minute through winger Brian Cipenga, putting England under pressure for much of the contest.
Harry Kane equalised with a header in the 75th minute before scoring the winning goal 11 minutes later to complete England’s comeback and secure qualification for the next round.
England will now face Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in the Round of 16.
How did the United States reach the Round of 16?
The United States recorded a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina at Levi’s Stadium, securing the country’s first FIFA World Cup knockout-stage victory in nearly 25 years.
Striker Folarin Balogun opened the scoring shortly before halftime but was sent off early in the second half following an incident involving Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic.
Despite playing with 10 men, the hosts doubled their advantage through Malik Tillman, whose free kick sealed the victory.
How did Belgium complete its comeback?
Belgium staged one of the tournament’s most dramatic recoveries by overturning a 2-0 deficit against Senegal with only minutes remaining in regulation time before securing a 3-2 victory after extra time.
The result sets up a Round of 16 encounter between Belgium and the United States in Seattle next week.
What are the next Round of 16 fixtures?
England will travel to Mexico City to face Mexico, while the United States will meet Belgium following both teams’ successful knockout victories.
The results concluded another dramatic day of FIFA World Cup action, with England, the United States and Belgium all progressing to the last 16 after resilient performances under knockout-stage pressure.