The FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage gathered pace on July 2, Thursday, with three European nations booking their places in the next round after hard-fought victories across North America. At Los Angeles Stadium, Spain produced one of the most convincing performances of the Round of 32, defeating Austria 3-0 to underline their title credentials. Meanwhile, Portugal edged past Croatia 2-1 in a closely contested encounter at Toronto Stadium, while Switzerland completed the day's action with a 2-1 win over Algeria at BC Place in Vancouver. The trio of results ensured Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland progressed to the Round of 16, setting up an intriguing next phase of the tournament as the race for football's biggest prize intensifies. Below are some of the most eye-catching moments from those matches.From stunning goals to emotional celebrations, here are the most memorable moments from Thursday's FIFA World Cup Round of 32 action.ReutersSoccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Spain v Austria - Fans gather in Vienna - Vienna, Austria - July 2, 2026 A Austria fan looks dejected after the match as Austria are eliminated from the World Cup as fans gather in Vienna to watch the match between Spain v Austria REUTERS/Elisabeth MandlReutersSoccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Portugal v Croatia - Fans gather in Toronto - Toronto, Canada - July 2, 2026 A Portugal fan during the national anthems before the match REUTERS/Carlos OsorioReutersSoccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Spain v Austria - Fans gather in Madrid - Madrid, Spain - July 2, 2026 Spain fans react at a fanzone in Madrid during the match REUTERS/Violeta Santos MouraReutersSoccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Portugal v Croatia - Fans gather in Lisbon - Lisbon, Portugal - July 3, 2026 A Portugal fan at half time REUTERS/Pedro RochaReutersSoccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Portugal v Croatia - Fans gather in Lisbon - Lisbon, Portugal - July 2, 2026 A Portugal fan before the match REUTERS/Pedro RochaReutersSoccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Portugal v Croatia - Fans gather in Lisbon - Lisbon, Portugal - July 2, 2026 A Portugal fan displays a scarf before the match REUTERS/Pedro RochaReutersSoccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Portugal v Croatia - Fans gather in Lisbon - Lisbon, Portugal - July 3, 2026 A Portugal fan reacts as she watches the match REUTERS/Pedro RochaReutersSoccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Portugal v Croatia - Fans march to the stadium - Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada - July 2, 2026 Portugal fans gather before the march to the stadium REUTERS/Carlos OsorioReutersSoccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Switzerland v Algeria - BC Place, Vancouver, Canada - July 2, 2026 Algeria fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Lee SmithReutersSoccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Switzerland v Algeria - BC Place, Vancouver, Canada - July 2, 2026 Switzerland fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Lee SmithReutersSoccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Switzerland v Algeria - BC Place, Vancouver, Canada - July 2, 2026 Algeria fan inside the stadium before the match IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Simon FearnAPAlgerian fans react before the start of the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between Switzerland and Algeria in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)ReutersFIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 - Switzerland v Algeria - Fans gather in New York - New York City , New York, U.S. - July 1, 2026 Algeria fans gather in Times Square IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Caean CoutoThe knockout action continues on July 3 with another packed schedule featuring three Round of 32 clashes across the United States. The day's action begins at Dallas Stadium, where Australia takes on Egypt at 2 p.m. ET. Attention then shifts to Miami Stadium as defending world champions Argentina face tournament surprise package Cape Verde at 6 p.m. ET in one of the day's most anticipated fixtures. The final match sees Colombia meet Ghana at Kansas City Stadium at 9:30 p.m. ET, with all three winners securing their place in the Round of 16. As the knockout phase gathers momentum, every match now carries the ultimate consequence: advance one step closer to World Cup glory or see the dream come to an end.