World Cup 2026 round of 32 lineup and knockout format clarified
The expanded 48-team tournament will see the top two of each group and the eight best third-placed sides advance to a round of 32 beginning June 28, with Mexico and the United States among the qualifiers and Haiti and Turkey eliminated.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will move to a knockout phase of 32 teams after the group stage ends on June 27. The round of 32 runs from June 28 to July 3, followed by the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, a bronze-medal match and the final on July 19. The 12 group winners and runners-up, plus the eight highest-ranked third-place teams, will fill the knockout bracket.
For the first time, FIFA will use head-to-head results rather than overall goal difference as the primary tiebreaker when teams finish level on points. If teams remain tied, overall goal difference, total goals scored, disciplinary points and, ultimately, the FIFA world rankings will be applied.
As of June 20, Mexico secured the first knockout spot by topping Group A with a 1-0 win over South Korea, after opening the tournament with a 2-0 victory over South Africa. The United States qualified next, winning Group D after a 2-0 defeat of Australia and a 4-1 victory over Paraguay.
Haiti and Turkey were the first nations eliminated. Haiti lost 3-0 to Brazil and 1-0 to Scotland, while Turkey could not amass enough points to rank among the best third-place finishers in Group D.
