The Latest from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada

Five minutes (and stoppage time) left in the second half with Mexico still leading Ecuador 2-0.

11:13 p.m.

Second half is underway in Mexico City, with Mexico leading Ecuador 2-0 on first-half goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez.

10:51 p.m.

It’s halftime in Mexico City and the hosts are ahead 2-0. Mexico leads in shots (10-3), shots on target (2-1) and possession (59 per cent to 41). Ecuado has taken more corners (5-1) and has received the only yellow card of the match. Both sides have five fouls.

10:32 p.m.

Raul Jimenez gives Mexico a 2-0 lead over Ecuador with a goal in the 31st minute. Mexico is outshooting Ecuador 8-1, and have scored on both on-target shots.

10:22 p.m.

Julian Quinones gives Mexico a 1-0 lead with a goal in the 22nd minute. The fans, who didn’t need much of an excuse to make noise for the World Cup co-hosts, are screaming and dancing.

10 p.m.

After a one-hour rain delay, Mexico and Ecuador are on the pitch and action is underway.

8:55 p.m.

The match between Mexico and Ecuador has been delayed due to a thunderstorm over the Mexico City Stadium area. The storm started about two hours before the match was set to begin. No announcement was made on when it would start. Mexico is aiming to qualify for the Round of 16 and inch closer to tie their best performances in the World Cup. Mexico reached the quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986.

8:45 p.m.

Fifteen minutes to kickoff and it’s raining in Mexico City.

7:55 p.m.

The pre-game party is well underway in Mexico City as kickoff for the Ecuador-Mexico knockout match is just over an hour away. Mexico won three straight games to top Group A, while Ecuador finished third in Group E with a win, loss and draw.

6:55 p.m.

Kylian Mbappé continued his dominant play at the World Cup with two goals, and France easily advanced to the Round of 16 with a 3-0 win over Sweden. Mbappé’s fifth and sixth goals moved him into a tie with Argentina’s Lionel Messi for the tournament lead. He now has 18 goals in 18 World Cup games, one behind Messi for most all-time.

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5:50 p.m.

France is up 1-0 on Sweden at the half thanks to another piece of brilliance from Kylian Mbappé. The star striker received the ball at the goal line, cut into the Swedish box and hammered his fifth goal of the tournament past keeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom. Mbappé is tied for second with Norway’s Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot, one goal behind Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

5:05 p.m.

France and Sweden are facing off in a Round of 32 game in East Rutherford, N.J. France won all three of their group-stage games while getting four goals each from stars Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. Sweden squeaked into the knockout stage after finishing third in Group F with four points, but are the last team alive in that group after the Netherlands and Japan lost their first knockout-stage games.

3 p.m.

Erling Haaland scored his fifth goal at the 2026 World Cup, and so far his biggest, to send Norway into the Round of 16 with a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast. The Manchester City star calmly slotted a feed from Patrick Berg in the 86th minute to set up a showdown with fife-time champion Brazil. Haaland is one goal behind Argintine star Lionel Messi for the tournament’s Golden Boot. Amad Diallo had levelled for Ivory Coast 12 minutes before Haaland’s winner.

1:50 p.m.

Norway is up 1-0 on Ivory Coast halfway through their Round of 32 matchup at Dallas Stadium. Antonio Nusa put Norway ahead with a goal in the 39th minute. The winner of the match faces five-time champion Brazil in the Round of 16.

1:36 p.m.

The World Cup’s ticket market has split dramatically between Canada’s two host cities. The cheapest seats for Thursday’s Switzerland-Algeria Round of 32 match in Vancouver are about $700, while Portugal-Croatia in Toronto starts at roughly $2,550. Vancouver lost the chance to host Canada after the team finished second in its group, while Toronto landed Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal.

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1 p.m.

Norway and Ivory Coast have kicked off their Round of 32 match at Dallas Stadium. Both teams advanced by finishing second in their group. The Norwegians are coming off a 4-1 loss to France in which they rested 10 regulars, including forward Erling Haaland. The Manchester City star is in the lineup today.

11:20 a.m.

Norway opens today’s World Cup Round of 32 slate against Ivory Coast at 1 p.m., with star striker Erling Haaland back after sitting out the group-stage finale. France meets Sweden at 5 p.m., with coach Didier Deschamps returning to the sideline after missing the defending champions’ last match following his mother’s funeral. Host Mexico wraps up the day against Ecuador at 9 p.m., looking to use home support and the altitude at Estadio Azteca to reach the Round of 16. Mexico has won all three of its matches so far, while Ecuador reached the knockout stage with a 2-1 upset of Germany.

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11:15 a.m.

Canada is enjoying a rest day in Houston before returning to the training pitch tomorrow to prepare for Saturday’s Round of 16 showdown with Morocco. The Atlas Lions advanced Monday by defeating the Netherlands 3-2 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw. Morocco, which entered the World Cup ranked seventh in the world, will be Canada’s highest-ranked opponent of the tournament so far. The teams also met at the 2022 World Cup, with Morocco earning a 2-1 group-stage win. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

The Latest from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada

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