Written and Fact-checked by Manoj | Last Updated On: July 14, 2026 | 18:25 ET
The FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage features the tournament's best teams competing in the quarterfinals, semifinals, third-place playoff, and the final. Check the latest qualified teams, complete schedule, fixtures, match results, venues, and the road to becoming the 2026 FIFA World Cup champion.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals will be played on July 14 and 15, 2026, with France facing Spain at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and England taking on Argentina at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The winners will advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final, while the losing teams will compete in the third-place playoff.
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| Round of 32 | June 28 – July 3, 2026 |
| Round of 16 | July 4–7, 2026 |
| Quarterfinals | July 9–11, 2026 |
| Semifinals | July 14–15, 2026 |
| Match for Third Place | July 18, 2026 |
| Final | July 19, 2026 |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage Format
The FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage features 32 teams and follows a single-elimination format. The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed teams qualify for the Round of 32.
The knockout phase begins with the Round of 32, followed by the Round of 16, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, Third Place Playoff, and the Final. If a match is level after 90 minutes, it goes to 30 minutes of extra time. If the score remains tied, the winner is decided by a penalty shootout.
The knockout stage runs from June 28 to July 19, 2026, with matches taking place across stadiums in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Semifinals Match Schedule
| Date | Time | Match | Fixture | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 14, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. UTC−5 | Match 101 | France 0-2 Spain | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
| July 15, 2026 | 3:00 p.m. UTC−4 | Match 102 | England Vs Argentina | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| July 18, 2026 (5:00 p.m. UTC−4) | Match 103 | France | Loser Match 102 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Match Schedule
FIFA World Cup 2026 Final
Date: July 19, 2026
Time: 3:00 p.m. UTC−4
Match: Match 104
Teams: Spain vs Winner Match 102
Venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarterfinals Match Results
| Date & Time | Match | Fixture | Qualified for Semifinal | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 9, 4:00 PM UTC−4 | Match 97 | France 2-0 Morocco | France | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough |
| July 10, 12:00 PM UTC−7 | Match 98 | Spain 2-1 Belgium | Spain | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood |
| July 11, 5:00 PM UTC−4 | Match 99 | Norway 1-2 England | England | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens |
| July 11, 8:00 PM UTC−5 | Match 100 | Argentina 3-1 Switzerland | Argentina | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 Match Schedule & Result
| Date | Time | Match | Fixture | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 4, 2026 | 5:00 p.m. UTC−4 | Match 89 | Canada 0-2 Morocco | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia |
| July 4, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. UTC−5 | Match 90 | Paraguay 0-1 France | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| July 5, 2026 | 4:00 p.m. UTC−4 | Match 91 | Brazil 1-2 Norway | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford |
| July 5, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. UTC−6 | Match 92 | Mexico 2-3 England | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City |
| July 6, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. UTC−5 | Match 93 | Portugal 0-1 Spain | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
| July 6, 2026 | 5:00 p.m. UTC−7 | Match 94 | USA 1-4 Belgium | Lumen Field, Seattle |
| July 7, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. UTC−4 | Match 95 | Argentina 3-2 Egypt | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| July 7, 2026 | 1:00 p.m. UTC−7 | Match 96 | Switzerland 0 (4)-0(3) Colombia | BC Place, Vancouver |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 Match Results
| Date | Time (Local) | Match | Fixture | Qualified for Round of 16 | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. UTC−7 | Match 73 | South Africa 0–1 Canada | Canada | SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles |
| June 29, 2026 | 4:30 p.m. UTC−4 | Match 74 | Germany 1 (3)–1 (4) Paraguay | Paraguay | Boston Stadium |
| June 29, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. UTC−6 | Match 75 | Netherlands 1 (2)–1 (3) Morocco | Morocco | Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe |
| June 29, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. UTC−5 | Match 76 | Brazil 2–0 Japan | Brazil | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 30, 2026 | 5:00 p.m. UTC−4 | Match 77 | France 3–0 Sweden | France | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford |
| June 30, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. UTC−5 | Match 78 | Côte d’Ivoire 1–2 Norway | Norway | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
| June 30, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. UTC−6 | Match 79 | Mexico 2–0 Ecuador | Mexico | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City |
| July 1, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. UTC−4 | Match 80 | England 2–1 DR Congo | England | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| July 1, 2026 | 5:00 p.m. UTC−7 | Match 81 | USA 2-0 Bosnia | USA | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara |
| July 1, 2026 | 1:00 p.m. UTC−7 | Match 82 | Belgium 3–2 Senegal | Belgium | Lumen Field, Seattle |
| July 2, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. UTC−4 | Match 83 | Portugal 2–1 Croatia | Portugal | BMO Field, Toronto |
| July 2, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. UTC−7 | Match 84 | Spain 3–0 Austria | Spain | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood |
| July 2, 2026 | 8:00 p.m. UTC−7 | Match 85 | Switzerland 2–0 Algeria | Switzerland | BC Place, Vancouver |
| July 3, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. UTC−4 | Match 86 | Argentina 3–2 Cape Verde | Argentina | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens |
| July 3, 2026 | 8:30 p.m. UTC−5 | Match 87 | Colombia 1-0 Ghana | Colombia | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City |
| July 3, 2026 | 1:00 p.m. UTC−5 | Match 88 | Australia 1 (2)–1 (4) Egypt | Egypt | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage Facts
| Tournament | FIFA World Cup 2026 |
| Stage | Knockout Stage |
| Host Countries | United States, Canada, and Mexico |
| Knockout Stage Start Date | June 28, 2026 |
| Final Match Date | July 19, 2026 |
| Total Qualified Teams | 32 Teams |
| Qualification Format | Top 2 teams from each group and 8 best third-placed teams |
| First Round | Round of 32 |
| Round of 16 Dates | July 4–7, 2026 |
| Quarterfinal Dates | July 9–11, 2026 |
| Semifinal Dates | July 14–15, 2026 |
| Third Place Match | July 18, 2026 |
| Final Venue | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States |
| Final Date | July 19, 2026 |
| Match Format | Single-elimination knockout tournament |
| Extra Time | 30 minutes if scores are level after 90 minutes |
| Penalty Shootout | Used if scores remain tied after extra time |
| Total Knockout Rounds | 6 (Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Third Place Match, Final) |
| Defending Champions | Argentina |
| Official Organizer | FIFA |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage Final Standings
| Group | Group Winner | Runner-up | Third-placed Team (Best Eight) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Mexico | South Africa | — |
| B | Switzerland | Canada | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| C | Brazil | Morocco | — |
| D | United States | Australia | Paraguay |
| E | Germany | Ivory Coast | Ecuador |
| F | Netherlands | Japan | Sweden |
| G | Belgium | Egypt | — |
| H | Spain | Cape Verde | — |
| I | France | Norway | Senegal |
| J | Argentina | TBD | — |
| K | Colombia | Portugal | DR Congo |
| L | England | Croatia | Ghana |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage FAQs
32 teams qualify for the Round of 32 — the 12 group winners, 12 group runners-up, and the 8 best third-placed teams from the group stage.
16 teams advance to the Round of 16 — the 16 winners from the Round of 32 matches.
The knockout stage begins on June 28, 2026, with the Round of 32, and runs through to the Final on July 19, 2026.
Yes. If a match is level after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time is played. If still tied, a penalty shootout decides the winner.
The Third Place match will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 18, 2026.
The two Semi-Finals will be held at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas (July 14) and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia (July 15, 2026).
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026.
Brazil has won the most FIFA World Cup titles with 5 trophies (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002).
Argentina won the last FIFA World Cup, defeating France on penalties in the 2022 Qatar final to claim their third World Cup title.