Tournament Bracket
48 teams · 12 groups · Round of 32 → Final
How the World Cup 2026 Knockout Bracket Works
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams, and that expansion reshapes the knockout stage. The 12 groups of four feed a brand-new Round of 32: the top two from every group qualify automatically — 24 teams — and the eight best third-placed sides across all groups complete the bracket. It is the first time a World Cup has staged a Round of 32, adding an extra round and sixteen more knockout matches than the 32-team format fans grew up with.
From there the path to the final is straight single-elimination — win or go home. The Round of 32 narrows to the Round of 16, then the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, and finally the showpiece itself, with a third-place play-off contested by the two beaten semi-finalists.
The 2026 World Cup final will be played on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey — the climax of a tournament co-hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The bracket above fills in automatically as results come in: group winners and runners-up slot into their Round of 32 ties, scores and winners update within 60 seconds of full time, and live matches are highlighted as they happen. Bookmark this page to follow every team's route from the Round of 32 all the way to MetLife.