Bracket
World Cup 2026 knockout bracket
For the first time, the World Cup knockout bracket begins with a Round of 32 — 32 teams in single-elimination. That's 31 knockout matches from Round of 32 through the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026.
How the 2026 knockout bracket works
32 teams enter the knockout stage: the top 2 from each of the 12 groups (24 teams) plus the 8 best third-placed teams. Single elimination — win or go home.
- Round of 32 — 16 matches, single elimination
- Round of 16 — 8 matches
- Quarterfinals — 4 matches
- Semifinals — 2 matches
- Third Place Playoff — 1 match (Miami, July 18)
- Final — MetLife Stadium, New York / New Jersey, July 19, 2026
This bracket fills in with real matchups as the group stage completes. Bookmark this page and check back after each round.