Brazil to face Japan in World Cup round of 32 clash
The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage continues on Monday with three more round of 32 ties, featuring Brazil, Germany, and the Netherlands. These teams are aiming to join Canada in the last 16 of the tournament.
Brazil, five-time champions, are set to face an improving Japan side. Germany will take on Paraguay, seeking to advance beyond the group stage for the first time since their 2014 victory. In the day’s final match, the Netherlands will meet Morocco.
Brazil vs Japan Encounter
The match between Brazil and Japan is scheduled for 12 noon (17:00 GMT) at Houston Stadium in Texas, US. Historically, Brazil has dominated this fixture, winning 11 of their 14 previous encounters and losing only once. Their sole World Cup meeting occurred 20 years ago, with Brazil securing a 4-1 victory.
However, Japan enters this tie with confidence, having ended Brazil’s long unbeaten run against them with a 3-2 comeback win in Tokyo last October. In that friendly match, Japan overturned a two-goal deficit.
According to pre-match simulations, Brazil is considered the favourite to advance. Brazil won 57.3% of 25,000 simulations, while Japan was victorious in 19.7%. The remaining 23.0% of simulations resulted in a draw after 90 minutes, indicating a potential need for extra time or a penalty shootout.
Players to watch include Ayase Ueda, who scored the winning goal against Brazil last October and contributed two goals and an assist in Japan’s matchday-two win over Tunisia. Keito Nakamura, a Japan wing-back, scored against the Netherlands on matchday one and has registered five shots in three World Cup starts. Ritsu Doan, a winger for Japan, received eight yellow cards for club and country in 2025-26, including bookings against Brazil and Scotland.
For Brazil, Vinicius Junior was a standout performer in Group C, scoring four goals from eight shots on target against Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland. Bruno Guimaraes set up three of Brazil’s seven goals in the group stage and recorded seven assists for Newcastle in 2025-26. Veteran right-back Danilo committed five fouls in three Group C matches against Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland.
Other Knockout Stage Matches
Germany will face Paraguay at 4:30 pm (20:30 GMT) at Boston Stadium in Massachusetts, US. These teams have met only twice before, with their only previous World Cup encounter being a last-16 contest in 2002. They also played to a 3-3 draw in an international friendly in 2013.
Simulations indicate Germany has a 54.7% chance of winning within 90 minutes, while Paraguay’s chances stand at 23.1%. A draw after normal time occurred in 22.3% of simulations. Germany has a 78.6% chance of reaching the round of 16.
The Netherlands will play Morocco at 7 pm (01:00 GMT on Tuesday) at Monterrey Stadium in Mexico. Their only prior World Cup meeting was in the 1994 group stage, where the Dutch secured a 2-1 victory. The Netherlands has a strong record against African opposition at the World Cup, remaining unbeaten in six such matches and scoring at least twice in each of their victories.
Morocco enters this match with confidence after defeating Scotland. Simulations suggest the Netherlands has the edge, winning 47.6% of the pre-match simulations, with Morocco progressing in 25.0%. A draw after 90 minutes occurred in 27.4% of simulations.
Tournament Highlights and Departures
Away from the ongoing matches, Canada has made history by reaching the men’s World Cup last 16 for the first time, following a dramatic stoppage-time victory over South Africa. Stephen Eustaquio’s late goal secured this landmark moment for Canadian football.
Iran’s World Cup campaign concluded in a heartbreaking manner, as they missed out on the knockout stage by a narrow margin. Their coach described the team’s misfortune as extraordinary after Iran had three goals ruled out by VAR during the tournament.
In other news, South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo has resigned after his side’s group-stage elimination from the World Cup. His resignation followed criticism from President Lee Jae-myung, who ordered a full review of the national team program.
The FIFA World Cup Round of 32 continues on Monday, June 29, 2026.
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Source: livescore.com
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
