Tonight brings three Round of 32 matches at the 2026 World Cup, with the headline fixture being France vs Sweden at MetLife Stadium at 00:00 Kyiv time. Didier Deschamps' side, who came through the group stage unbeaten, face an unpredictable Swedish outfit — and the stakes couldn't be higher: it's win or go home. If you're planning your evening around the FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule in Kyiv time, here's the full picture for the day's fixtures.
Day's Schedule
- 20:00 Kyiv time. Ivory Coast vs Norway (Round of 32, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas)
- 00:00 Kyiv time (July 1). France vs Sweden (Round of 32, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey)
- 04:00 Kyiv time (July 1). Mexico vs Ecuador (Round of 32, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City)
France vs Sweden (00:00 Kyiv Time)
What's at stake. The winner advances to the Round of 16 and will face the winner of the Paraguay vs France/Sweden tie in Philadelphia. Both teams are eliminated if they lose. France finished the group stage with nine points from nine, beating Senegal, Iraq, and Norway. Sweden reached the knockout rounds as one of the eight best third-placed teams, collecting four points in Group F.
Form and personnel. France scored 10 goals in three group-stage matches — Mbappé and Dembélé with four each, including a Dembélé hat-trick in the final group game against Norway. Michaël Olise added three assists. Deschamps has no injured or suspended players. Expected lineup: Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, T. Hernandez; Tchouaméni, Rabiot; Olise, Dembélé, Doué; Mbappé. Sweden will be without defender Isak Hien (hamstring injury), who is out of the tournament. As a result, Victor Lindelöf is expected to drop into defence. Expected Swedish lineup: Zetterström; Lagerblom, Lindelöf, Gudmundsson; Bernhardsson, Bergvall, Ayari, Strand; Elanga, Gyökeres, Isak.
Who to watch. The duel between Mbappé and Dembélé against the Swedish pair of Gyökeres and Isak is the central axis of the match. Sweden conceded seven goals in the group stage, and without Hien their defence is even more vulnerable. That said, Gyökeres and Isak are a Premier League-calibre partnership capable of punishing any mistake. Deschamps has warned: "We have no second chances now."
Ivory Coast vs Norway (20:00 Kyiv Time)
The evening's opening match kicks off the Round of 32 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Ivory Coast advanced from Group E, where they beat Ecuador and Curaçao. Norway came through Group I — the same group where France thrashed them 4–1 in the final round. The winner will face Brazil in the Round of 16 at MetLife Stadium. Keep an eye on Gyökeres in the Norwegian attack and on how the Ivorian defence holds up under pressure.
Mexico vs Ecuador (04:00 Kyiv Time)
The late-night match at the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City rounds off the day's action. Mexico — winners of Group A — are playing at home and have already beaten South Africa and South Korea. Ecuador advanced from Group E. The winner will face the winner of the England vs DR Congo tie in the Round of 16. The atmosphere at the Azteca is reason enough not to miss this game, even if it kicks off in the early hours. For more on the previous Round of 32 results, see the morning digest on the Round of 32 night.
Recaps of all three matches will appear in the evening edition and morning digest on Nightly Mundial. Stay tuned for the Round of 16 match preview — those games get underway from July 4.
