Who will Brazil face in Round of 16 of FIFA World Cup 2026 after beating Japan?

Brazil are eying their first FIFA World Cup title since 2002.

Five-time champions Brazil have defeated Japan 2-1 in a thrilling knockout game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The fixture was a tight clash, as Carlo Ancelotti’s side eventually edged the Asian giants.

As soon as the game got underway, Brazil dominated possession against Japan. With quick and short passes, the Seleção were making attacking advances against the Samurai Blue one after another. However, the Selecao’s attacking trio of Vinicius Junior, Matheus Cunha and Rayan were failing to convert the chances into goals, courtesy of Japan’s low block.

Kaishu Sano broke the deadlock in the 29th minute after he scored from outside the box. Hajime Moriyasu looked significantly confident, especially after the goal for the remainder of the first half. However, Casemiro scored the Seleção’s opening goal in the 56th minute with a header.

The game hit a stalemate after Casemiro’s goal. Few chances were being created, as Blue Samurai’s low block was not allowing Carlo Ancelotti’s men to move freely. However, just before the game was about to get forced into the first extra time of the tournament, Ao Tanaka’s defensive error helped Gabriel Martinelli gift his side a lead over the Asian giants.

Nevertheless, Brazil’s triumph has left fans wondering about their round-of-16 rivals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Also Read: List of all matches confirmed for Round of 16 of FIFA World Cup 2026

Who will Brazil face in the FIFA World Cup round of 16?

Despite not performing up to expectations, Brazil have qualified for the round of 16 of the ongoing FIFA World Cup. They will be playing the pre-quarter-final game on Sunday, July 5, at the New York-New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men will face the winner of the round-of-32 clash between the Ivory Coast and Norway. The Ivory Coast vs Norway game will be played on Tuesday, June 30, at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The Seleção topped Group C with seven points in three games. The other three teams of the group were Morocco, Scotland and Haiti. The only other team from Group C to qualify for the knockout stage, Morocco, will face the Netherlands in the round of 32.

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