The features of the round of 32 are becoming clearer little by little, and with the end of the decisive rounds, 9 strong matches were confirmed, most notably an expected clash between the Netherlands and Morocco, and an exciting meeting between Egypt and Australia in one of the most awaited matches for Arab fans.
At the forefront of the scene, the great clash between the Netherlands and Morocco stands out, a confrontation that carries the weight of history and the magic of the present, and puts the Moroccan national team in front of a new test with one of Europe's giants.
On the other hand, all eyes are on the meeting between Egypt and Australia, a match described as one of the most awaited matches in the Arab region, due to its high competitiveness and a golden opportunity to cross to a deeper stage.
The rest of the confirmed matches add new layers of suspense: Argentina vs. Cape Verde, Brazil vs. Japan, Germany vs. Paraguay, France vs. Sweden, South Africa vs. Canada, Côte d'Ivoire vs. Norway, and the United States vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The map of the qualifiers so far looks like a vibrant global map, with teams from four continents booking their seats in the round of 32, from Mexico and South Africa, Brazil, Morocco, the United States and Australia, to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Egypt, Spain, France, Argentina, England, Ghana and others.
Jordan looks for a moral achievement against Argentina
The Jordanian national team closes the curtain on its historic participation in the World Cup with a heavy-caliber clash against Argentina, the defending champion and pre-qualified, in the third round of Group Ten competitions.
Despite the two losses to Austria and then Algeria, Al-Nashami enters the match with the ambition of writing an exceptional moral moment against one of the world's greatest teams, as the match will be held at dawn on Sunday at 5 a.m. Damascus time andcarries many numbers and connotations, as it is the first historically between the two teams, while Jordan - ranked 68th in the world - seeks to become the lowest-ranked team to succeed in defeating the defending champion in the history of the World Cup, a record that South Korea still holds since its victory over Germany in 2018.
On the other hand, Argentina enters the match at its best, having not lost in the last 8 matches of the World Cup, and started the 2026 edition with two clean wins over Algeria (3-0) and Austria (2-0), and is close to repeating the start of 1998 with three consecutive victories without conceding goals.
All eyes are on Lionel Messi, who has a historic chance to become the first player to score in 7 consecutive World Cup matches after equalling the record (6 matches) set by Fontaine and Garzenho. Messi, who celebrated his 39th birthday a few days ago, continues to lead his country with numbers: 5 goals, 4 chances created, 11 assists that broke the defensive lines, and 22 advancing the ball.
Jordan, on the other hand, is betting on a fighting spirit, and on players such as Muhannad Abou Taha, who scored the highest rebound rate in Group X (12 times against Algeria), in an indication of Nashami's ability to keep up with the high tempo.
Algeria in a decisive test against Austria
Algeria enters their final group stage match against Austria with a clear ambition: to fight for qualification and to regain the memory of the 1982 loss.
Although a draw may give the two teams a ticket together, the Desert Warriors treat the match as an opportunity to prove themselves above all, and the match will be held at dawn on Sunday at 5 a.m. Damascus time.
The two teams met only once in the 1982 World Cup, which ended with Austria winning 2-0, and since then the Algerian team has achieved only one victory over a European team in the World Cup, while today they are looking for a victory that will open the door to qualification and give them a big morale boost.
Algeria enters the match in high spirits after beating Jordan, achieving their fourth victory in the history of the World Cup, and providing strong numbers in possession, passing and attacking pressure. On the other hand, Austria, who have three points, are seeking to reach the knockout stages for the first time since 1954.
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