BUENOS AIRES—France advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 16 on Tuesday, maintaining an unbeaten run as they moved within three matches of a potential third world title, according to match reports and official tournament updates.
France, who entered the tournament as reigning world champions after winning in 2018 and finishing runners-up in 2022, secured top position in Group I with three straight wins over Senegal, Iraq and Norway before defeating Sweden in the first knockout round, FIFA match information showed.
In the Round of 16 match at the New York–New Jersey venue, France controlled proceedings and secured a comfortable win, with goals from Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé, according to official match summaries published by FIFA-affiliated sources. The result extended France’s record of strong tournament form, having scored nine goals across their three group-stage matches while conceding only once.
Head coach Didier Deschamps said the team remained focused on “game by game progression” as they continued their knockout campaign, according to comments distributed through official team media channels. France’s squad, led by captain Mbappé, has been widely regarded as one of the tournament favourites due to its depth across attacking and midfield positions.
The victory sets up a quarter-final against either Canada or Morocco on July 9 in Boston, depending on the outcome of their Round of 16 tie, tournament officials confirmed. The knockout bracket places France on a path that would require two additional wins to reach the final scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
France’s route through the tournament has included a 3-1 win over Senegal in their opening group match, a 3-0 victory over Iraq, and a 4-1 win over Norway, where Dembélé scored a first-half hat-trick in a dominant performance.
The World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, featuring an expanded 48-team format in its first edition under the new structure.
France will next face the winner of the Canada–Morocco match in the quarter-finals, with a place in the semi-finals at stake.
