Day 22 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup brings three more Round of 32 matchups, headlined by Spain’s clash with Austria, a rematch of styles between Portugal and Croatia and a late-night thriller between Switzerland and Algeria. Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal look to stay unbeaten, while Spain enters as the tournament’s stingiest defense. All three matches air on FOX or FS1, with every game streaming live and on demand on FOX One. World Cup Schedule for Thursday, July 2 Spain vs. Austria Spain enters the knockout rounds unbeaten, having topped Group H with two wins and a draw while allowing zero goals across three matches. Austria advanced as Group J’s runner-up behind Argentina, surviving a wild 3-3 draw with Algeria in the group finale. Spain’s defense makes it the favorite, but Austria has shown it won’t go down without trading punches. Player to Watch The Atlético Madrid man has been sharp in Spain’s last two games, both wins, and was the Man of the Match after scoring a goal in the 1-0 win over Uruguay. In a game against a pressing team, Baena will have the opportunity to exploit space if he can maintain possession under pressure. Baena is playing well and should be a key to Spain’s attack against Austria. Portugal vs. Croatia Portugal finished Group K unbeaten at one win and two draws, landing as runner-up behind group winner Colombia. Cristiano Ronaldo has two goals in the tournament and will look to add to that total against a Croatia side that survived a wild 4-2 loss to England before rebounding with back-to-back wins over Panama and Ghana. Croatia’s willingness to trade goals could make this one of the day’s most entertaining matchups. Player to Watch In a game such as this with contrasting styles, both teams will be looking to have the game played on their terms. For Portugal, that begins with Fernandes who is the engine of the team’s midfield. He is very direct and plays the game with a lot of energy. He won’t want to let Croatia slow the game down and become choppy. Portugal struggled against Colombia in the group stage finale, but Fernandes was at the heart of Portugal’s best moments. Switzerland vs. Algeria Switzerland topped Group B with two wins and a draw, outscoring opponents seven to three across the group stage. Algeria stumbled to a 3-0 loss to Argentina but rallied to beat Jordan and draw Austria 3-3, sneaking into the knockout rounds as one of the best third-place finishers. The Swiss are favored, but Algeria has proven it can score in bunches. Player to Watch Switzerland’s 20-year-old midfielder has been one of the top young players of this tournament, with three goals and an assist in the group stage. In the 2-1 win over Canada, the Geneva-born Manzambi was arguably the best player on the field with a goal and an assist. Manzambi has had a great year at the club level with SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga. He was also named the Europa League Young Player of the Season for 2025-26, and he excels at making late runs into the box. He could be one of the keys to victory for Switzerland in this game. Who Plays Today in the World Cup? How to Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup All World Cup matches air on FOX and FS1, with every game streaming live and on demand on FOX One.
How to Watch the World Cup Today: Schedule, Times, TV, Streaming for Spain, Portugal, More
Jul 2, 2026 | 8:05 AM


