MATCHDAY 16 ROUND-UP: France Finish Strong as Group Stage Reaches Its Final Stretch while Senegal is back from the grave

The race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage became even more exciting on Matchday 16 as several teams secured important victories while others saw their World Cup dreams come to an end.

France confirmed why they are one of the tournament favorites with an impressive 4-1 victory over Norway. Kylian Mbappé once again led the attack with another outstanding performance as Les Bleus finished top of Group I and advanced to the Round of 32 with confidence.

Senegal also ended the group stage on a high by beating Iraq 5-0 in a dominant display. The Lions of Teranga attacked from the opening whistle and produced one of the biggest wins of the tournament. The victory kept their hopes alive as they waited to see if they would qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.