Mexico and United States first teams qualified for 2026 World Cup round of 16

Mexico and the United States are the first two teams qualified for the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, and their path in the bracket is already determined.

Mexico secured qualification by beating South Korea 1-0, while the draw between South Africa and Czech Republic (1-1) guaranteed them top spot in Group A, no matter what happens on matchday three. The Mexicans will play their round of 16 match on June 30 at Azteca Stadium, against a group runner-up still to be determined. If they advance, they would return to the same stadium for a round of 32 match against the winner of Group B — England’s group — or another group runner-up.

The United States, for their part, locked down first place in Group D with unequivocal authority: a 4-1 victory against Paraguay, then 2-0 over Australia. Mauricio Pochettino’s team cannot be dislodged from the top of the group, regardless of the result on the final matchday. The Americans will play their round of 16 match at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, near San Francisco, against a group runner-up. Their subsequent path would take them to Seattle for a round of 32 match, possibly against the winner of Group G, Belgium’s group.

With this new 48-team format, the 2026 World Cup introduces a round of 16 for the first time. The bracket will fill in progressively over the second and third group stage matchdays, but the two North American host nations have already gained a significant advantage over the entire competition.