France, Norway, and co-hosts Mexico became the latest trio of countries to book their place in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, now attention turns to Wednesday’s three round of 32 matches as England look to secure their spot.
First up, it’s England vs DR Congo at 5pm (all times UK) in Atlanta for the chance to play Mexico at the Azteca.
Belgium and Senegal then take to the floor at 9pm in Seattle with the winner going on to face the victor of the United States’ clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina, which takes place at 1am in Santa Clara.
Here are the key World Cup 2026 stats ahead of today’s three games.
Key stats for Wednesday featuring England, Harry Kane & Yoane Wissa
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England vs DR Congo
- England key stat: Harry Kane (11) needs one more goal to draw level with Pele’s World Cup tally of 12.
- DR Congo key stat: If Yoane Wissa scores he will have more goals for DR Congo at this World Cup (4+) than in 28 matches for Newcastle last season (3).
England‘s reward for topping Group L is a round of 32 meeting with DR Congo, who have reached the World Cup knockout stages for the first time after they finished third in Group K. The Three Lions have previously won both of their knockout stage games against African sides, beating Cameroon 3-2 in 1990 and Senegal 3-0 four years ago.
Thomas Tuchel is enjoying the third best unbeaten start (competitive games) of any England manager, having won 10 and drawn one of his 11 matches; keeping clean sheets in 10 of those games.
England have also been the tournament’s second dominant team in terms of possession – behind Spain – having averaged 65.9% possession during the group stage, and they will expect to dictate proceedings once again against a DR Congo side that has seen just 39.6% of the ball.
Harry Kane’s goal in the 2-0 win against Panama saw him become England’s all-time scorer at World Cups with 11 goals, ahead of Gary Lineker. Only seven players in history have ever scored more World Cup goals than the England skipper, who is now only one goal behind Brazil legend Pele (12).
A goal against DR Congo would also put Kane onto four World Cup knockout stage goals, drawing level with the legendary Geoff Hurst and leaving only Lineker (6) ahead among England players.
READ: England vs DR Congo – predictions, best bets, stats and odds
DR Congo have already enjoyed a tournament to remember. They scored their first-ever World Cup goal, collected their first point, secured their maiden World Cup victory and, in doing so, booked a historic place in the knockout stages for the first time.
Yoane Wissa has been in superb form this tournament, scoring three of DR Congo’s four goals. He netted his country’s first ever World Cup goal in the 1-1 draw against Portugal, then he bagged a brace in their first ever win over Uzbekistan. This takes his tally to three goals in three games, meaning if he scores against England he will have more goals for DR Congo at this World Cup (4) than in 28 matches for Newcastle last season (3).
It would also make Wissa just the second African player to score four goals at a single World Cup after Cameroon’s Roger Milla in 1990.
Belgium vs Senegal
- Belgium key stat: The Red Devils are looking to extend their unbeaten run to 17 matches in all competitions.
- Senegal key stat: Ismaila Sarr (4 goals) is the joint-third highest scoring African in World Cup history – he now needs one more goal to draw level with Cameroon’s Roger Milla (5) and two more to equal record-holder Asamoah Gyan (6 for Ghana).
Belgium extended their unbeaten run to 16 games across all competitions (W10 D6) after they thrashed New Zealand 5-1 to secure top spot in Group G.
Belgium, who finished third in 2018, have won four of their last five World Cup knockout matches. They fired in a tournament-high 73 shots during the group stages, 30 of which were off target (also a high). No player had more shots (16) than Kevin De Bruyne during this time, six of these were off target, and produced only one goal, but this was scored last time out in the New Zealand win.
READ: Belgium vs Senegal – predictions, best bets, stats and odds
Senegal finished third in a very tough Group I following an emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Iraq, which saw them through to the knockout stages for the third time in four appearances. The Lions of Teranga have only won one knockout game though, which was a 2-1 extra-time last-16 victory over Sweden on their debut in 2002.
Ismaila Sarr has sparkled in North America, netting three goals so far at this World Cup, which he added to the one he scored four years ago in Qatar. This tally of four makes him the joint-third highest scoring African in World Cup history, meaning the Crystal Palace winger now needs one more goal to draw level with Cameroon’s Roger Milla (5) and two more to equal record-holder Asamoah Gyan (6 for Ghana).
United States vs Bosnia-Herzegovina
- United States key stat: The US have lost seven of their eight World Cup knockout stage matches.
- Bosnia-Herzegovina key stat: The Dragons were the last European country to lose to the US, who have since failed to win any of their 12 games against sides from the continent, losing 10 in a row.
After watching fellow co-hosts Mexico and Canada secure their places in the last-16, the spotlight now turns to the United States and their battle against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara.
A much-changed US fell to a 3-2 defeat to Turkey in their third and final group stage game but – having already qualified as group winners – this will have done nothing to dampen the positive mood and expectation surrounding Mauricio Pochettino’s troops who will feel they have an ideal opportunity to venture into the last-16.
Victory would see the Stars and Stripes win three matches at a single World Cup for the first time in their history, eclipsing the two victories they managed in 1930, 2002, and the current tournament. It would also equal the number of World Cup wins they recorded across their previous 16 World Cup matches combined.
The problem is, the US have a wretched record in the knockout stages, losing seven of their eight matches, with the only exception being a last-16 victory over Mexico 24 years ago. They have also endured a miserable run against European opposition, failing to win any of their last 12 meetings in all competitions with European countries, losing each of the last 10. Ironically, Bosnia-Herzegovina were the last European side they defeated, back in 2021.
READ: United States vs Bosnia-Herzegovina – predictions, best bets, odds and stats
Bosnia-Herzegovina are certainly not to be underestimated. The Dragons beat four-time winners Italy in a play-off to reach the World Cup and have lost just once in their last 11 matches – falling apart late on in a 4-1 group stage defeat to Switzerland – and have already frustrated one co-host this tournament, drawing 1-1 against Canada.
Sergej Barbarez’s troops did just enough to progress out of Group B as a best third-place finisher, but now they will enter new ground, with this their first ever knockout stage game.
Goals could be on the cards. Both teams have scored in nine of the United States’ last 11 matches and in 11 of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s last 12, including all three of their group-stage fixtures.
This will be music to the ears of striker Folarin Balogun, who is bidding to become only the third US player to ever score 3+ goals at a single World Cup after Bert Patenaude in 1930 and Landon Donovan in 2010.
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