The 2026 World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with 48 teams participating, has seen teams show their defensive class, but only two teams have yet to be breached.

While co-hosts Mexico recorded a 2-0 round of 32 victory over Ecuador on Wednesday to set up a round of 16 encounter against either England or DR Congo, former World Champions Spain will play their round of 32 fixture on Thursday.

Mexico

Mexico topped Group A with nine points, defeating South Africa 2-0 on June 11, South Korea 1-0 on June 19, Czechia 3-0 on June 25, and Ecuador 2-0 on July 1 in the round of 32 to advance to the round of 16.

1. It is the first time in their history that they will win four consecutive matches in a single World Cup, advancing to the round of 32 and round of 16, all without conceding a goal.

2. Goalkeeper Raúl Rangel currently leads the 2026 World Cup clean sheet, conceding no goals in four matches.

3. Mexico’s victory over South Africa was their first-ever World Cup opening match win, and their round of 32 victory over Ecuador on Wednesday was their first World Cup knockout match win since 1986, when they last hosted the tournament.

4. Mexico have never gone past the World Cup quarter finals, the highest they’ve achieved at the tournament in the 1970 and 1986 editions. In the ongoing edition, they have already equalled their highest-ever number of goals, with eight, which they first set in the 1998 edition.

5. The Estadio Azteca has become a fortress for Mexico, as they are now unbeaten at the venue in ten World Cup games (seven wins, three draws), spanning three different World Cup cycles.

Spain

Spain advanced to the round of 32 by topping Group H with seven points after beating Uruguay by a lone goal on June 27, beating Saudi Arabia 4-0 on June 21, and playing a goalless draw against debutants Cape Verde on June 23.

1. Although Spain have failed to win their opening World Cup games in four of their last five tournaments, it’s the first time in their history that they completed a World Cup group stage without conceding a goal.

2. Between the sticks in Spain’s 270 group stage regulation time minutes in the ongoing tournament is Unai Simon. According to BeSoccer Pro data, Spain and Simon have now played seven hours, nine minutes (429 minutes), without conceding a World Cup goal, dating back to the Qatar 2022 edition.

3. If Spain are able to hold for at least 88 minutes without conceding a goal in their round of 32 match against Austria on Thursday, at the SoFi Stadium in California, they will break or extend the World Cup record, while Simon will jump from eighth position to first place in the ranking ahead of legendary goalkeepers like Walter Zenga of Italy and Peter Shilton of England.

4. Spain won the tournament once at the South Africa 2010 edition, defeating the Netherlands by a lone goal after extra-time and becoming the first European country to win the tournament hosted outside Europe.

5. Spain will jointly host the 2030 FIFA World Cup along with Morocco and Portugal, which will be the tournament’s 100th anniversary since its first edition in 1930.