Brazil march on, Argentina loom: Mapping the Selecao's knockout path

Brazil have passed their first knockout test at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating Japan 2-1 in the Round of 32. The five-time world champions have now set their sights on a place in the quarter-finals.

Brazil's Round of 16 match will be played at 2:00 am Bangladesh time on 5 July. Their opponents will be confirmed later on Tuesday, with the winner of the Ivory Coast vs Norway clash advancing to face the Selecao.

With the group stage now complete, the knockout bracket has made every team's potential route to the final much clearer.

If Brazil progress to the quarter-finals, they could face England. Should England fail to advance that far, Brazil's opponents could instead be Mexico, Ecuador, or DR Congo, depending on the results elsewhere in the bracket.

If they make it past the quarter-finals, Brazil could then meet Argentina in a blockbuster semi-final.