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← World Cup 2026
The knockout stage

The road to MetLife.

Thirty-two teams enter the bracket on 28 June. One lifts the trophy in New York on 19 July. Every tie is win-or-go-home.

Round of 32 begins · 28 June
Until the Round of 32 kicks off
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Through to the Round of 32

Qualified so far

24 teams have booked a top-two place. The bracket below fills in as each group is decided.

MexicoGrp A · 1stSouth AfricaGrp A · 2ndSwitzerlandGrp B · 1stCanadaGrp B · 2ndBrazilGrp C · 1stMoroccoGrp C · 2ndUSAGrp D · 1stAustraliaGrp D · 2ndGermanyGrp E · 1stIvory CoastGrp E · 2ndNetherlandsGrp F · 1stJapanGrp F · 2ndBelgiumGrp G · 1stEgyptGrp G · 2ndSpainGrp H · 1stCape VerdeGrp H · 2ndFranceGrp I · 1stNorwayGrp I · 2ndArgentinaGrp J · 1stAustriaGrp J · 2ndColombiaGrp K · 1stPortugalGrp K · 2ndEnglandGrp L · 1stCroatiaGrp L · 2nd
How the 32 qualify

Into the Round of 32

The 48-team group stage feeds a brand-new 32-team knockout round — the first World Cup ever to have one.

Top 2 × 12

The winner and runner-up of all 12 groups go straight through — 24 teams.

See the groups →

8 best 3rds

The eight best third-placed sides of twelve fill the last knockout spots.

Live standings →

32 teams

Group winners are seeded against third-placed teams; runners-up meet each other. Then it’s win or go home.

Five rounds to glory

The knockout path

Round of 3216 tiesJun 28 – Jul 3Top two of every group plus the eight best third-placed sides.
Round of 168 tiesJul 4 – 7
Quarter-finals4 tiesJul 9 – 11
Semi-finals2 tiesJul 14 – 15
Final1 matchJul 19MetLife Stadium, New York / New Jersey.
The first knockout round

Round of 32

Full schedule →

Jun 28 – Jul 3 · Slots resolve to teams the moment a group is mathematically settled.

Match 73Full time
South Africa0Canada1
SoFi Stadium · Los Angeles
Match 74Full time
Germany1Paraguay1
Gillette Stadium · Boston
Match 75Full time
Netherlands1Morocco1
Estadio BBVA · Monterrey
Match 76Full time
Brazil2Japan1
NRG Stadium · Houston
Match 77Full time
France3Sweden0
MetLife Stadium · New York / New Jersey
Match 78Full time
Ivory Coast1Norway2
AT&T Stadium · Dallas
Match 79Full time
Mexico2Ecuador0
Match 80Full time
England2DR Congo1
Mercedes-Benz Stadium · Atlanta
Match 81Full time
USA2Bosnia and Herzegovina0
Levi's Stadium · San Francisco Bay Area
Match 82Full time
Belgium3Senegal2
Lumen Field · Seattle
Match 83Full time
Portugal2Croatia1
BMO Field · Toronto
Match 84Full time
Spain3Austria0
SoFi Stadium · Los Angeles
Match 85Full time
Switzerland2Algeria0
BC Place · Vancouver
Match 86Full time
Argentina3Cape Verde2
Hard Rock Stadium · Miami
Match 87Full time
Colombia1Ghana0
Arrowhead Stadium · Kansas City
Match 88Full time
Australia1Egypt1
AT&T Stadium · Dallas
The final sixteen

Bracket

From the Round of 16, it’s a straight line to MetLife. Winners advance into the bracket as each tie is settled.

Round of 16Jul 4 – 7
Match 89Full time
Paraguay0France1
Lincoln Financial Field · Philadelphia
Match 90Full time
Canada0Morocco3
NRG Stadium · Houston
Match 91Full time
Brazil1Norway2
MetLife Stadium · New York / New Jersey
Match 92Full time
Mexico2England3
Match 93Full time
Portugal0Spain1
AT&T Stadium · Dallas
Match 94Full time
USA1Belgium4
Lumen Field · Seattle
Match 95Full time
Argentina3Egypt2
Mercedes-Benz Stadium · Atlanta
Match 96Full time
Switzerland0Colombia0
BC Place · Vancouver
Quarter-finalsJul 9 – 11
Match 97Full time
France2Morocco0
Gillette Stadium · Boston
Match 98Full time
Spain2Belgium1
SoFi Stadium · Los Angeles
Match 99Full time
Norway1England2
Hard Rock Stadium · Miami
Match 100Full time
Argentina3Switzerland1
Arrowhead Stadium · Kansas City
Semi-finalsJul 14 – 15
Match 101Full time
France0Spain2
Match 102Full time
England1Argentina2
Mercedes-Benz Stadium · Atlanta
FinalJul 19
Match 104Full time
Spain1Argentina0
MetLife Stadium · New York / New Jersey

Third-place play-off · 18 July · Miami. France v England for the bronze.

The final · 19 July 2026MetLife StadiumNew York / New Jersey · 82,500See the full schedule →
Good to know

World Cup 2026 knockout stage — FAQ

What is the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup?

The Round of 32 is a brand-new knockout round, added because the tournament expanded to 48 teams. It pits the 32 qualifiers — the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed sides — in single-elimination ties from 28 June 2026.

How does the knockout stage work at the 2026 World Cup?

It is single-elimination over five rounds: Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final. Win or go home at every stage, from 28 June through to the final on 19 July 2026, with a third-place play-off the day before.

What happens if a 2026 World Cup knockout match is a draw?

Knockout ties cannot end level. If the score is tied after 90 minutes, two 15-minute periods of extra time are played; if it is still level, the match is decided by a penalty shoot-out.

Is there a third-place play-off at the 2026 World Cup?

Yes. The two losing semi-finalists meet in the third-place play-off on 18 July 2026, the day before the final, to decide the bronze medal.

When and where is the 2026 World Cup final?

The final is on Sunday 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area, which seats around 82,500.