Major Turnarounds and European Dominance: World Cup 2026 Schedule for July 2–3

The 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico has entered its most tense phase – the direct eliminations – and the dates of July 2–3 offer an extremely interesting schedule and have already brought dramatic turnarounds and historic moments.

Three Round of 32 duels on July 2

On July 2, the Round of 32 schedule includes three matches that focus attention on the performance of European teams and the balance of power between Europe, Africa, and the Arab world at the 2026 World Cup. According to the published schedule for the day, the following knockout stage matches are upcoming or have already been played:

• 22:00 Spain – Austria (Round of 32, SoFi Stadium in California)
• 2:00 Portugal – Croatia (Round of 32)
• 6:00 Switzerland – Algeria (Round of 32)

The three matches are part of the road to the Round of 16, with each pitting traditional World Cup participants against ambitious rivals who successfully navigated the group stage. For Spain and Portugal, these are the first elimination tests of the tournament, while Austria, Croatia, and Algeria have a chance to confirm their progress from recent years.

Drama in Seattle: Belgium turns around against Senegal

One of the most memorable matches in the days around July 2–3 is already a fact – Belgium sealed their Round of 16 participation after an incredible turnaround against Senegal in Seattle. The African team took a 2:0 lead after goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr in the 25th and 51st minutes, with the "Lions of Teranga" looking fully prepared to eliminate one of the favorites.

However, Rudi Garcia changed the course of the match by bringing on Romelu Lukaku as a substitute. The striker restored hope for the "Red Devils" with a goal in the 86th minute, and just three minutes later Youri Tielemans equalized, taking advantage of a hesitant exit by goalkeeper Mory Diaw – well known to Bulgarian fans from his time at Lokomotiv Plovdiv. Thus, regulation time ended at 2:2.

Extra time did not bring many chances, but the final outcome was historic. Following a VAR intervention in the 120th minute, a penalty was awarded for a foul by Lamine Camara on Tielemans. The Aston Villa midfielder himself stepped up to take it and scored in the 124th minute and 44 seconds – "the latest goal in the history of World Cup finals," as noted by Bulgarian sports media. "Belgium crushes Senegal at the 2026 World Cup" – local analysts summarize the meeting.

Beyond the drama at the end, the match statistics also highlight Tielemans' efficiency – in this match, he scored more goals than in his previous 17 matches with the national team jersey at major tournaments, which further strengthens his role as a leader in midfield. The victory sent Belgium to the Round of 16, where they await the USA, who won 2:0 against Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite playing with a man down for more than half an hour.

England's turnaround against DR Congo and the road to the Round of 16

In another key Round of 32 match, England was also put under serious pressure but demonstrated their class in the knockout phases. DR Congo, for whom this is a historic first participation in the direct eliminations of a World Cup, started shockingly strong – as early as the 7th minute, Brian Chipenga opened the scoring after a lightning-fast counterattack and a diagonal pass from Chancel Mbemba.

The first half and the start of the second brought a series of misses for England – Marcus Rashford and Jude Bellingham failed to convert good positions into goals, and goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi distinguished himself with a phenomenal intervention in stoppage time of the first half. On several occasions, the "Three Lions" were close to equalizing, but the lack of precision and the crossbar following a shot by Yoane Wissa for DR Congo further complicated their task.

The decisive moment came in the second half when captain Harry Kane again took on the role of savior. In the 75th minute, after a perfect pass from Anthony Gordon, the Bayern Munich goalscorer equalized the score with a close-range shot. Just 11 minutes later, Kane completed the full turnaround – a "real bullet" from the edge of the penalty area made it 2:1 for England, as described by Bulgarian reporters: "Captain Kane rescued England against DR Congo".

The final 2:1 score sends England through and confirms a statistical trend – under Thomas Tuchel's leadership, the team has won 10 of 11 official matches, and in 14 of their last 15 victories, they have not conceded a goal. Despite the early goal and the pressure, the "Three Lions" showed that even against African opponents they remain strong in the knockouts: to date, all their matches against African teams at World Cups in the direct phase have ended in success for the English.

From a Bulgarian perspective, the match further fits into the image of the 2026 World Cup as a tournament of turnarounds and dramatic outcomes – similar to what happened in Seattle, where Belgium turned around against Senegal, England also had to come from behind against DR Congo to progress.

Mexico watches England, the Round of 16 takes shape

England's success against DR Congo has a direct impact on the Round of 16 picture, where Mexico is already waiting for the "Three Lions". The Latin Americans secured their place among the best after a victory over Ecuador and a stable performance in the group stage, and now a clash with one of the European favorites lies ahead.

Bulgarian analyses draw attention to the fact that Mexico traditionally plays well at World Cups but often encounters difficulties in the knockout phase specifically against strong European teams. Now the question is whether the "Three Lions" will continue their streak at major forums and get closer to a fifth consecutive qualification for at least the quarter-finals, or if Mexico will offer another surprise at the 2026 World Cup.

From a statistical point of view, England now has two wins against African opponents in the World Cup knockout stages, and the success over DR Congo reinforces the team's reputation as one of the most mentally resilient teams when it comes to overcoming a deficit. At the same time, Mexico has demonstrated consistency in the group stage and good defense, which promises a balanced and tense Round of 16 match.

Significance of the July 2–3 matches for the tournament bracket

The matches on July 2 and 3 shape important parts of the 2026 World Cup playoff bracket. Belgium's victory against Senegal and the USA's success over Bosnia and Herzegovina have already outlined one of the Round of 16 ties – "Belgium vs. USA," a duel between a European and a North American power. At the same time, England is heading towards a Round of 16 clash with Mexico, and the outcome of the Spain – Austria, Portugal – Croatia, and Switzerland – Algeria meetings will determine the next crossovers in the upper and lower halves of the bracket.

For European teams, the Round of 32 phase has been successful so far – Belgium and England are through, the USA and Mexico represent a strong challenge from the hosts, and Spain and Portugal aim to confirm their status as favorites in the direct eliminations. The results of these matches will have a direct impact on the likelihood of seeing a European final or a clash between Europe and the Americas in the decisive matches.

In the context of the Bulgarian viewer, interest is focused both on the strong European presence and on the dramatic scenarios that are already becoming a hallmark of the 2026 World Cup. Tielemans' penalty in the 124th minute and 44 seconds, England's turnaround with two goals from Harry Kane, and the historic run of DR Congo are examples of how the tournament continues to offer a plot worthy of analysis not only from a sporting, but also from a cultural and psychological point of view.

In the coming days, the 2026 World Cup schedule will continue to tighten, and every new knockout derby will add more strokes to the overall picture of the championship – from the dominance of traditional powers to the rise of new heroes and teams rewriting football history.