It's often said that nations hosting a FIFA World Cup benefit from a home-field boost during the tournament.
That's certainly unfolding during the 2026 tournament, with Canada, Mexico and the United States all winning in the Round of 32 and advancing to the Round of 16.
That trio of co-hosts are inspiring an entire continent and showing the quality of soccer throughout Concacaf.
Here's how they got this far and sparked dreams across North America.
- Group Stage:Â Group B runner-up (4 points)
- Round of 32: 1-0 win vs. South Africa in Los Angeles
- Round of 16: July 4 vs. Morocco in Houston
While Canada's knockout path doesn't involve games on home soil, Jesse Marsch's side capitalized on that luxury during the Group Stage.
The CanMNT earned their first-ever World Cup point in Toronto, then their first-ever World Cup win in Vancouver. That earned them second place in Group B and a Round of 32 showdown with South Africa.
Another historic result followed, with Stephen Eustáquio's late volley sealing a 1-0 win over Bafana Bafana for the program's first-ever World Cup knockout win.
Their reward? A July 4 showdown with Morocco, who overcame the Netherlands on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw.
- Group Stage:Â Group A winner (9 points)
- Round of 32: 2-0 win vs. Ecuador in Mexico City
- Round of 16: July 5 vs. England in Mexico City
Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored in the first half, giving Mexico enough cushion for a confident 2-0 win over Ecuador in the Round of 32.
El Tri took full advantage of playing on home soil, much like they did while topping Group A with wins over South Africa, South Korea and Czechia.
That's given Mexico a high-profile showdown with England in the Round of 16, in one of the country's biggest-ever matches.
England completed a Round of 32 comeback, with Harry Kane's second-half brace highlighting their 2-1 triumph over DR Congo.
- Group Stage:Â Group D winner (6 points)
- Round of 32: 2-0 win vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina in San Francisco Bay Area
- Round of 16: July 6 vs. Belgium in Seattle
Fresh off topping Group D, the US won their second-ever World Cup knockout game courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Folarin Balogun scored just before halftime and Malik Tillman extended the lead with a beautiful free kick, though the match was not without controversy.
Balogun was shown a red card in the 64th minute following Video Review, which forced the USMNT to grind out the result.
Now, the Yanks face a Belgian side that won 3-2 over Senegal in extra time. Youri Tielemans scored the latest goal in World Cup history with a 125th-minute penalty kick to cap his brace and complete the Round of 32 comeback.
