The World Cup 2026 round of 32 kicks off today. All 12 groups are complete, all 32 qualifiers are confirmed, and every round of 32 fixture is locked in. The FIFA World Cup 2026 bracket features 16 knockout matches across six days, starting with South Africa vs Canada on June 28.
Here is a complete breakdown of every matchup, the full round of 32 schedule, and how the world cup knockout bracket is structured.
World Cup 2026 round of 8 fixtures and every confirmed quarter-final matchup
(updated on July 6, 2026)
Which Teams Have Qualified for the World Cup 2026 Round of 32?
Thirty-two teams have qualified for the World Cup 2026 round of 32. Sixteen teams have been eliminated.
Qualified as group winners: Mexico (A), Switzerland (B), Brazil (C), USA (D), Germany (E), Netherlands (F), Belgium (G), Spain (H), France (I), Argentina (J), Colombia (K), England (L)
Qualified as group runners-up: South Africa (A), Canada (B), Morocco (C), Australia (D), Ivory Coast (E), Japan (F), Egypt (G), Cape Verde (H), Norway (I), Austria (J), Portugal (K), Croatia (L)
Qualified as third-place teams: DR Congo (K), Sweden (F), Ghana (L), Ecuador (E), Bosnia and Herzegovina (B), Algeria (J), Paraguay (D), Senegal (I)
Eliminated: Haiti, Türkiye, Tunisia, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Panama, Czechia, Qatar, Curaçao, New Zealand, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, South Korea, Scotland
ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 Squads: All Teams, Players and Announcement Dates
FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 Bracket: Every Confirmed and Projected Matchup
The round of 32 bracket is locked. Here are all 16 round of 32 fixtures:
- South Africa vs Canada — June 28, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
- Brazil vs Japan — June 29, NRG Stadium, Houston
- Germany vs Paraguay — June 29, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
- Netherlands vs Morocco — June 30, Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
- Ivory Coast vs Norway — June 30, AT&T Stadium, Arlington
- France vs Sweden — June 30, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
- Mexico vs Ecuador — July 1, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- England vs DR Congo — July 1, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Belgium vs Senegal — July 1, Lumen Field, Seattle
- USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina — July 1, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
- Spain vs Austria — July 2, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
- Switzerland vs Algeria — July 2, BC Place, Vancouver
- Portugal vs Croatia — July 2, BMO Field, Toronto
- Australia vs Egypt — July 3, AT&T Stadium, Arlington
- Argentina vs Cape Verde — July 3, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
- Colombia vs Ghana — July 3, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
The headline fixture is Brazil vs Japan on June 29, a clash between two of the tournament’s most attacking teams. Portugal vs Croatia reunites Ronaldo and Modrić in what could be their last World Cup encounter. Argentina vs Cape Verde is a David-and-Goliath matchup, with Messi’s all-time scoring record set against the smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup knockout round.
The USA vs Bosnia matchup at Levi’s Stadium on July 1 pits the hosts against a resilient Bosnian side that finished third in Group B on four points. The USA won 2-0, but striker Folarin Balogun was sent off in the second half — his Balogun red card appeal and subsequent clearance to play against Belgium became one of the biggest stories of the knockout stage.
ALSO READ: World Cup 2026 semi-final fixtures and every team’s path to the final
World Cup 2026 Round of 32 Schedule and Kick-Off Times
The round of 32 schedule runs across six days from June 28 to July 3:
- June 28: South Africa vs Canada (Los Angeles)
- June 29: Brazil vs Japan (Houston) | Germany vs Paraguay (Foxborough)
- June 30: Netherlands vs Morocco (Monterrey) | Ivory Coast vs Norway (Arlington) | France vs Sweden (East Rutherford)
- July 1: Mexico vs Ecuador (Mexico City) | England vs DR Congo (Atlanta) | Belgium vs Senegal (Seattle) | USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (Santa Clara)
- July 2: Spain vs Austria (Inglewood) | Switzerland vs Algeria (Vancouver) | Portugal vs Croatia (Toronto)
- July 3: Australia vs Egypt (Arlington) | Argentina vs Cape Verde (Miami) | Colombia vs Ghana (Kansas City)
ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualification Scenarios: All 48 Teams, Group Standings, Round of 32 Path
How Does the World Cup Knockout Bracket Work?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 bracket follows a single-elimination format from the round of 32 all the way to the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium. If a match is tied after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time are played, followed by a penalty shootout if needed.
The FIFA Official Knockout Stage Bracket splits into two halves, meaning teams on one side cannot meet teams on the other until the final. Group winners are rewarded with theoretically easier draws, facing third-place teams or lower-ranked runners-up. After the round of 32, the tournament follows the familiar pattern: Round of 16 (July 4-7), Quarter-Finals (July 9-11), Semi-Finals (July 14-15), and the Final (July 19). All matches from the Quarter-Finals onwards are played in the United States.
