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Thirty-two teams survive the group stage and drop into a fixed single-elimination tree that ends at MetLife Stadium on 19 July. Because FIFA sets the bracket by group position, you can trace the whole path to the final before the knockouts even begin: the new Round of 32, the Round of 16, the quarter-finals in four cities, the Dallas and Atlanta semi-finals, and the Final itself. Here is how the bracket is built, the venues and dates for every round, and each top contender's projected route, including why Brazil and Argentina sit in the same half.
Updated 9 June 2026 · WorldCuply.com editorial · Sources: FIFA, ESPN, Sky Sports, NBC Sports, Wikipedia
32
In the Bracket
5
Knockout Rounds
10
R32 Host Cities
19 Jul
Final at MetLife
The short version. The 24 group winners and runners-up plus the eight best third-placed teams fill a 32-team bracket. It runs Round of 32 (28 June to 3 July), Round of 16 (4 to 7 July), quarter-finals (9 to 11 July), semi-finals (14 July in Dallas, 15 July in Atlanta) and the Final at MetLife Stadium on 19 July. From the quarter-finals onward, every match is in the United States. If the seeds hold, Brazil and Argentina are in the same half and can meet no later than the semi-finals.
The Shape
How the bracket is built
The knockout bracket is not drawn after the groups finish. It is fixed in advance, with every slot defined by a group position, so the structure is known long before the teams are.
32 teams enter. The 12 group winners and 12 runners-up go through automatically, and the eight best of the 12 third-placed teams join them. That is the field for the new Round of 32. For the full qualification math, see our format explainer.
Slots are pre-assigned. Each match has a defined source such as winner of Group I or runner-up of Group H. Group winners are paired against third-placed qualifiers, and runners-up face each other, so the strongest sides get a nominally easier opening tie.
Same-group teams are kept apart. Two teams from the same group cannot meet again until the quarter-finals at the earliest, the same principle used at every recent World Cup.
One straight line to the Final. Win five knockout matches in a row and you are champions. There are no replays: level after 90 minutes means extra time, then penalties.
The one moving part is the best-thirds rule. Which third-placed teams qualify, and which group winner they are sent to, is only locked in once the group stage ends. That is why some Round of 32 slots below read as a third-place team from one of several groups.
Round One
The Round of 32: 28 June to 3 July
The 16 opening knockout ties are spread across ten host cities over six days, kicking off at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on 28 June. Here is the full slate by group position.
Sunday 28 June
Runner-up A vs Runner-up B
Match 73 · SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
28 Jun
Monday 29 June
Winner C vs Runner-up F
Match 76 · NRG Stadium, Houston
29 Jun
Winner E vs Best third
Match 74 · Gillette Stadium, Boston
29 Jun
Winner F vs Runner-up C
Match 75 · Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
29 Jun
Tuesday 30 June
Runner-up E vs Runner-up I
Match 78 · AT&T Stadium, Dallas
30 Jun
Winner I vs Best third
Match 77 · MetLife Stadium, New York and New Jersey
30 Jun
Winner A vs Best third
Match 79 · Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
30 Jun
Wednesday 1 July
Winner L vs Best third
Match 80 · Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
1 Jul
Winner G vs Best third
Match 82 · Lumen Field, Seattle
1 Jul
Winner D vs Best third
Match 81 · Levi's Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area
1 Jul
Thursday 2 July
Winner H vs Runner-up J
Match 84 · SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
2 Jul
Runner-up K vs Runner-up L
Match 83 · BMO Field, Toronto
2 Jul
Winner B vs Best third
Match 85 · BC Place, Vancouver
2 Jul
Friday 3 July
Winner J vs Runner-up H
Match 86 · Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
3 Jul
Runner-up D vs Runner-up G
Match 88 · AT&T Stadium, Dallas
3 Jul
Winner K vs Best third
Match 87 · Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
3 Jul
Group winners and the four reigning powers among them mostly draw a best-third side here, while runner-up against runner-up ties like Match 73 and Match 88 are the most open. For every kickoff in your own time zone, use the WorldCuply.com match schedule.
The Map
The two halves of the draw
Everything funnels into two semi-finals. The top half of the bracket feeds the Dallas semi-final on 14 July; the bottom half feeds the Atlanta semi-final on 15 July. Where each group winner lands decides who they can meet, and when.
That split has two big consequences. First, Brazil and Argentina are on the same side: the two South American heavyweights can only collide in the Atlanta semi-final, and just one of them can reach MetLife. Second, the projected European pecking order, France and Spain, sits in the opposite half, so a Brazil or Argentina against France or Spain final is the storyline the bracket points toward if the seeds survive.
These are projections, not fixtures. A single group upset, a runner-up finish for a fancied side, or the order of the best thirds can redraw any path. Use the group guides from Group A to Group L to see how each top spot is shaping up.
Round Two
The Round of 16: 4 to 7 July
The 16 Round of 32 winners pair off into eight last-16 ties over four days. Each match is fed by two specific Round of 32 results.
Saturday 4 July
Winner 73 vs Winner 75
Match 90 · NRG Stadium, Houston
4 Jul
Winner 74 vs Winner 77
Match 89 · Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
4 Jul
Sunday 5 July
Winner 76 vs Winner 78
Match 91 · MetLife Stadium, New York and New Jersey
5 Jul
Winner 79 vs Winner 80
Match 92 · Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
5 Jul
Monday 6 July
Winner 83 vs Winner 84
Match 93 · AT&T Stadium, Dallas
6 Jul
Winner 81 vs Winner 82
Match 94 · Lumen Field, Seattle
6 Jul
Tuesday 7 July
Winner 86 vs Winner 88
Match 95 · Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
7 Jul
Winner 85 vs Winner 87
Match 96 · BC Place, Vancouver
7 Jul
Watch the projected collisions here. Match 89 can pit Germany against France, since the Group E and Group I winners both feed it. Match 92 can produce Mexico against England, the Group A and Group L winners. Match 94 lines up a potential United States against Belgium tie. None is guaranteed, but the bracket points that way.
The Business End
Quarter-finals, semi-finals and the Final
From the last eight onward, every match is on United States soil, and the field narrows quickly. Here is the run-in.
Quarter-finals · 9 to 11 July
Winner 89 vs Winner 90
Match 97 · Gillette Stadium, Boston
Thu 9 Jul
Winner 93 vs Winner 94
Match 98 · SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Fri 10 Jul
Winner 91 vs Winner 92
Match 99 · Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Sat 11 Jul
Winner 95 vs Winner 96
Match 100 · Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Sat 11 Jul
Semi-finals · 14 and 15 July
Winner 97 vs Winner 98
Match 101 · AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas)
Tue 14 Jul
Winner 99 vs Winner 100
Match 102 · Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Wed 15 Jul
The last two matches
Third-place playoff
Match 103 · Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Sat 18 Jul
Final: Winner 101 vs Winner 102
Match 104 · MetLife Stadium, New York and New Jersey · 3pm ET
Sun 19 Jul
The top half resolves through Boston (Match 97) and Los Angeles (Match 98) into the Dallas semi-final. The bottom half resolves through Miami (Match 99) and Kansas City (Match 100) into the Atlanta semi-final. The two semi-final winners then meet in the MetLife Stadium final on 19 July. For the stadium that hosts the opener instead, see our Estadio Azteca guide.
Projected Routes
The contenders' paths to MetLife
Assuming each side wins its group, here is the route every leading contender would take. Opponents are projections that depend on the best thirds and the runners-up.
Brazil
Group C winnerBottom half
Route: Match 76 in Houston, then the Round of 16 in New York and New Jersey, a Miami quarter-final and the Atlanta semi-final. Brazil share that half with Argentina, so the chase for a sixth star could run through their oldest rivals before the Final.
Argentina
Group J winnerBottom half
Route: Match 86 in Miami, then a Vancouver-fed Round of 16, the Kansas City quarter-final and the Atlanta semi-final. The defending champions are on Brazil's side of the draw, the headline collision of the bottom half. See Argentina's title defence.
France
Group I winnerTop half
Route: Match 77 at MetLife, then a Philadelphia Round of 16 that can mean Germany, a Boston quarter-final and the Dallas semi-final. France headline the top half opposite the South Americans.
Spain
Group H winnerTop half
Route: Match 84 in Los Angeles, then a Dallas Round of 16, a Los Angeles quarter-final and the Dallas semi-final. The Euro 2024 winners sit alongside France in the top half. See Spain's case.
England
Group L winnerBottom half
Route: Match 80 in Atlanta, then a Mexico City Round of 16 that can mean a meeting with hosts Mexico, a Miami quarter-final and the Atlanta semi-final. England are in the Brazil and Argentina half.
Germany
Group E winnerTop half
Route: Match 74 in Boston, then a Philadelphia Round of 16 that can mean France as early as the last 16, a Boston quarter-final and the Dallas semi-final. See Germany's reset.
Portugal
Group K winnerBottom half
Route: Match 87 in Kansas City, then a Vancouver Round of 16, the Kansas City quarter-final and the Atlanta semi-final, where Argentina may wait. Portugal are in the bottom half.
Netherlands
Group F winnerTop half
Route: Match 75 in Monterrey, then a Houston Round of 16, a Boston quarter-final and the Dallas semi-final. The Netherlands share the top quarter with France and Germany.
USA
Group D winnerTop half
Route: Match 81 in the San Francisco Bay Area, then a Seattle Round of 16 that can mean Belgium, a Los Angeles quarter-final and the Dallas semi-final. The hosts' run is mapped in our USA guide.
Mexico
Group A winnerBottom half
Route: Match 79 at the Estadio Azteca, then a home Round of 16 that can mean England, a Miami quarter-final and the Atlanta semi-final. Mexico open and could play the last 16 at home.
Canada
Group B winnerBottom half
Route: Match 85 at BC Place in Vancouver, then a Vancouver Round of 16, the Kansas City quarter-final and the Atlanta semi-final. The co-hosts can play two knockout games at home. See Canada.
Belgium
Group G winnerTop half
Route: Match 82 in Seattle, then a Seattle Round of 16 that can mean the United States, a Los Angeles quarter-final and the Dallas semi-final. Belgium close out the top half.
Questions & Answers
Frequently asked questions
How does the 2026 World Cup knockout bracket work?
After the 12-group stage, 32 teams advance to a fixed single-elimination bracket: the 24 group winners and runners-up plus the eight best third-placed teams. The bracket runs Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the Final, with a third-place playoff on the side. The whole shape is pre-set by group position, so you can map the path to the final before a ball is kicked in the knockouts.
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, kicking off at 3pm Eastern. It is the 104th and last match of the tournament.
Where are the 2026 World Cup semi-finals played?
The two semi-finals are on 14 and 15 July 2026. The first is at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, and the second is at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The winners meet in the Final at MetLife.
What is the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup?
The Round of 32 is the new opening knockout round, added because the 48-team format sends 32 teams into the knockouts. Its 16 single-leg ties run from 28 June to 3 July 2026 across ten host cities, starting at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The 16 winners advance to the Round of 16.
Could Brazil and Argentina meet before the 2026 final?
Yes. If both win their groups, Brazil (Group C) and Argentina (Group J) are projected into the same half of the bracket, the half that feeds the Atlanta semi-final on 15 July. That means the two South American giants could meet as early as the semi-finals and cannot both reach the Final. Only one can come out of that half.
What is each contender's projected route to the final?
If the seedings hold, the top half feeding the Dallas semi-final runs through France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States and Belgium. The bottom half feeding the Atlanta semi-final runs through Brazil, Argentina, England, Portugal, Mexico and Canada. The exact opponents depend on which third-placed teams qualify and where the runners-up finish.
How many matches must the 2026 World Cup winners play in the knockouts?
The champions play five knockout matches: the Round of 32, the Round of 16, a quarter-final, a semi-final and the Final. Added to three group games, the winners play eight matches in all, one more than under the old 32-team format.
When is the 2026 World Cup Round of 16?
The Round of 16 runs from 4 to 7 July 2026, with eight matches across cities including Houston, Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey, Mexico City, Dallas, Seattle, Atlanta and Vancouver. The eight winners advance to the quarter-finals.
Where are the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals?
The four quarter-finals are on 9, 10 and 11 July 2026 at Gillette Stadium near Boston, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. From the quarter-finals onward, every match is played in the United States.
Where is the 2026 World Cup third-place playoff?
The third-place playoff between the two losing semi-finalists is on 18 July 2026 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the day before the Final.
Keep Reading
More 2026 World Cup coverage
Follow the bracket through the rest of the WorldCuply.com guides:
This bracket guide was hand-written from the following reporting and reference pages, used to confirm the knockout structure, the match numbers, the venues and the round dates:
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