Belgium defeated New Zealand to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup round of 32, according to journalist Ben Goldfriend (N12). Egypt also advanced following a draw with Iran, though Iran could still qualify. The results finalized the tournament's expanded knockout-stage field.
Belgium secured its place in the 2026 World Cup round of 32 by defeating New Zealand, as journalist Ben Goldfriend (N12) reported early Saturday. Egypt also advanced to the knockout stage after a draw with Iran, though Iran retains a path to qualification. The results complete the lineup for the tournament's first knockout round, which expands to 32 teams under the new format.
As The Zioneer previously reported, several teams had already secured their spots in the round of 32. The Netherlands topped their group, while Brazil, Morocco, Japan, Sweden, the United States, and Switzerland also advanced in earlier matchdays. Belgium's win over New Zealand and Egypt's draw with Iran finalize the remaining berths.
Confirmed details on scoring, goal scorers, and group standings are not yet available from the source report. The round-of-32 matchups will be determined by group rankings and the tournament's bracket structure.
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