# 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage

The knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the second and final stage of the competition, following the group stage. Played from June 28 to July 19, the knockout stage will end with the final, held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The top two teams from each group and eight best third-placed teams will advance to the knockout stage to compete in a single-elimination tournament. There will be 32 matches in the knockout stage, including a third place playoff played between the two losing teams in the semifinals.

## Format

The knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be contested between 32 teams that qualified from the group stage. Matches in the knockout stage will be played to a finish. If the score is level at the end of 90 minutes of playing time, extra time will be played. If, after two periods of 15 minutes, the score is still tied, the result will determined by a penalty shootout.

## Qualifying teams

The top two placed teams from each of the twelve groups, plus the eight best third-placed teams, will qualify for the knockout stage.
| Group | Winners | Runners-up |
| A | TBD | TBD |
| B | TBD | TBD |
| C | TBD | TBD |
| D | TBD | TBD |
| E | TBD | TBD |
| F | TBD | TBD |
| G | TBD | TBD |
| H | TBD | TBD |
| I | TBD | TBD |
| J | TBD | TBD |
| K | TBD | TBD |
| L | TBD | TBD |

## Bracket

| Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| June 29 – Foxborough | June 29 – Foxborough | | | | | | |
| Winner Group E | | | | | | | |
| Winner Group E | | July 4 – Philadelphia | July 4 – Philadelphia | | | | | |
| 3rd Group A/B/C/D/F | | July 4 – Philadelphia | July 4 – Philadelphia | | | | |
| 3rd Group A/B/C/D/F | | Winner Match 74 | | | | | |
| June 30 – East Rutherford | June 30 – East Rutherford | | Winner Match 74 | | | | | |
| June 30 – East Rutherford | June 30 – East Rutherford | Winner Match 77 | | | | | |
| Winner Group I | | Winner Match 77 | | | | | |
| Winner Group I | | | | July 9 – Foxborough | July 9 – Foxborough | | | |
| 3rd Group C/D/F/G/H | | | | July 9 – Foxborough | July 9 – Foxborough | | |
| 3rd Group C/D/F/G/H | | | | Winner Match 89 | | | |
| June 28 – Inglewood | June 28 – Inglewood | | | | Winner Match 89 | | | |
| June 28 – Inglewood | June 28 – Inglewood | | | Winner Match 90 | | | |
| Runner-up Group A | | | | Winner Match 90 | | | |
| Runner-up Group A | | July 4 – Houston | July 4 – Houston | | | | | |
| Runner-up Group B | | July 4 – Houston | July 4 – Houston | | | | |
| Runner-up Group B | | Winner Match 73 | | | | | |
| June 29 – Guadalupe | June 29 – Guadalupe | | Winner Match 73 | | | | | |
| June 29 – Guadalupe | June 29 – Guadalupe | Winner Match 75 | | | | | |
| Winner Group F | | Winner Match 75 | | | | | |
| Winner Group F | | | | | | July 14 – Arlington | July 14 – Arlington | |
| Runner-up Group C | | | | | | July 14 – Arlington | July 14 – Arlington |
| Runner-up Group C | | | | | | Winner Match 97 | |
| July 2 – Toronto | July 2 – Toronto | | | | | | Winner Match 97 | |
| July 2 – Toronto | July 2 – Toronto | | | | | Winner Match 98 | |
| Runner-up Group K | | | | | | Winner Match 98 | |
| Runner-up Group K | | July 6 – Arlington | July 6 – Arlington | | | | | |
| Runner-up Group L | | July 6 – Arlington | July 6 – Arlington | | | | |
| Runner-up Group L | | Winner Match 83 | | | | | |
| July 2 – Inglewood | July 2 – Inglewood | | Winner Match 83 | | | | | |
| July 2 – Inglewood | July 2 – Inglewood | Winner Match 84 | | | | | |
| Winner Group H | | Winner Match 84 | | | | | |
| Winner Group H | | | | July 10 – Inglewood | July 10 – Inglewood | | | |
| Runner-up Group J | | | | July 10 – Inglewood | July 10 – Inglewood | | |
| Runner-up Group J | | | | Winner Match 93 | | | |
| July 1 – Santa Clara | July 1 – Santa Clara | | | | Winner Match 93 | | | |
| July 1 – Santa Clara | July 1 – Santa Clara | | | Winner Match 94 | | | |
| Winner Group D | | | | Winner Match 94 | | | |
| Winner Group D | | July 6 – Seattle | July 6 – Seattle | | | | | |
| 3rd Group B/E/F/I/J | | July 6 – Seattle | July 6 – Seattle | | | | |
| 3rd Group B/E/F/I/J | | Winner Match 81 | | | | | |
| July 1 – Seattle | July 1 – Seattle | | Winner Match 81 | | | | | |
| July 1 – Seattle | July 1 – Seattle | Winner Match 82 | | | | | |
| Winner Group G | | Winner Match 82 | | | | | |
| Winner Group G | | | | | | | | July 19 – East Rutherford | July 19 – East Rutherford |
| 3rd Group A/E/H/I/J | | | | | | | | July 19 – East Rutherford | July 19 – East Rutherford |
| 3rd Group A/E/H/I/J | | | | | | | | Winner Match 101 | |
| June 29 – Houston | June 29 – Houston | | | | | | | | Winner Match 101 |
| June 29 – Houston | June 29 – Houston | | | | | | | Winner Match 102 | |
| Winner Group C | | | | | | | | Winner Match 102 | |
| Winner Group C | | July 5 – East Rutherford | July 5 – East Rutherford | | | | | | |
| Runner-up Group F | | July 5 – East Rutherford | July 5 – East Rutherford | | | | | | |
| Runner-up Group F | | Winner Match 76 | | | | | | | |
| June 30 – Arlington | June 30 – Arlington | | Winner Match 76 | | | | | | |
| June 30 – Arlington | June 30 – Arlington | Winner Match 78 | | | | | | | |
| Runner-up Group E | | Winner Match 78 | | | | | | | |
| Runner-up Group E | | | | July 11 – Miami Gardens | July 11 – Miami Gardens | | | | |
| Runner-up Group I | | | | July 11 – Miami Gardens | July 11 – Miami Gardens | | | | |
| Runner-up Group I | | | | Winner Match 91 | | | | | |
| June 30 – Mexico City | June 30 – Mexico City | | | | Winner Match 91 | | | | |
| June 30 – Mexico City | June 30 – Mexico City | | | Winner Match 92 | | | | | |
| Winner Group A | | | | Winner Match 92 | | | | | |
| Winner Group A | | July 5 – Mexico City | July 5 – Mexico City | | | | | | |
| 3rd Group C/E/F/H/I | | July 5 – Mexico City | July 5 – Mexico City | | | | | | |
| 3rd Group C/E/F/H/I | | Winner Match 79 | | | | | | | |
| July 1 – Atlanta | July 1 – Atlanta | | Winner Match 79 | | | | | | |
| July 1 – Atlanta | July 1 – Atlanta | Winner Match 80 | | | | | | | |
| Winner Group L | | Winner Match 80 | | | | | | | |
| Winner Group L | | | | | | July 15 – Atlanta | July 15 – Atlanta | | |
| 3rd Group E/H/I/J/K | | | | | | July 15 – Atlanta | July 15 – Atlanta | | |
| 3rd Group E/H/I/J/K | | | | | | Winner Match 99 | | | |
| July 3 – Miami Gardens | July 3 – Miami Gardens | | | | | | Winner Match 99 | | |
| July 3 – Miami Gardens | July 3 – Miami Gardens | | | | | Winner Match 100 | | Third place playoff | Third place playoff |
| Winner Group J | | | | | | Winner Match 100 | | Third place playoff | Third place playoff |
| Winner Group J | | July 7 – Atlanta | July 7 – Atlanta | | | | | July 18 – Miami Gardens | July 18 – Miami Gardens |
| Runner-up Group H | | July 7 – Atlanta | July 7 – Atlanta | | | | | July 18 – Miami Gardens | July 18 – Miami Gardens |
| Runner-up Group H | | Winner Match 86 | | | | | | Loser Match 101 | |
| July 3 – Arlington | July 3 – Arlington | | Winner Match 86 | | | | | | Loser Match 101 |
| July 3 – Arlington | July 3 – Arlington | Winner Match 88 | | | | | | Loser Match 102 | |
| Runner-up Group D | | Winner Match 88 | | | | | | Loser Match 102 | |
| Runner-up Group D | | | | July 11 – Kansas City | July 11 – Kansas City | | | | |
| Runner-up Group G | | | | July 11 – Kansas City | July 11 – Kansas City | | | | |
| Runner-up Group G | | | | Winner Match 95 | | | | | |
| July 2 – Vancouver | July 2 – Vancouver | | | | Winner Match 95 | | | | |
| July 2 – Vancouver | July 2 – Vancouver | | | Winner Match 96 | | | | | |
| Winner Group B | | | | Winner Match 96 | | | | | |
| Winner Group B | | July 7 – Vancouver | July 7 – Vancouver | | | | | | |
| 3rd Group E/F/G/I/J | | July 7 – Vancouver | July 7 – Vancouver | | | | | | |
| 3rd Group E/F/G/I/J | | Winner Match 85 | | | | | | | |
| July 3 – Kansas City | July 3 – Kansas City | | Winner Match 85 | | | | | | |
| July 3 – Kansas City | July 3 – Kansas City | Winner Match 87 | | | | | | | |
| Winner Group K | | Winner Match 87 | | | | | | | |
| 3rd Group D/E/I/J/L | | | | | | | | | |