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Round of 32 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup is the first with 48 teams, split into 12 groups of 4. The top 2 of each group (24 teams) plus the 8 best third-placed teams qualify for the Round of 32 — a new knockout round that did not exist at the 2022 World Cup.
16 matches
Sun 28 Jun – Fri 3 Jul
1/16
Round of 32 — schedule
16 matches over 6 days. Tied matches: extra time and penalties. Winners advance to the Round of 16.
Opponents are filled in once the group stage finishes. Dates and stadiums are officially confirmed by FIFA.
Match 1 · Sun 28 Jun
Winner Group A
vs
3rd from C/D/E/F
Match 2 · Sun 28 Jun
Winner Group C
vs
3rd from D/E/F
Match 3 · Mon 29 Jun
Runner-up Group B
vs
Runner-up Group F
Match 4 · Mon 29 Jun
Winner Group D
vs
3rd from B/E/F
Match 5 · Tue 30 Jun
Winner Group B
vs
3rd from A/C/D/E
Match 6 · Tue 30 Jun
Runner-up Group A
vs
Runner-up Group C
Match 7 · Wed 1 Jul
Winner Group F
vs
3rd from A/B/C
Match 8 · Wed 1 Jul
Runner-up Group D
vs
Runner-up Group E
Match 9 · Thu 2 Jul
Winner Group E
vs
3rd from A/B/D
Match 10 · Thu 2 Jul
Winner Group G
vs
3rd from I/J/K/L
Match 11 · Thu 2 Jul
Winner Group H
vs
3rd from I/J/K/L
Match 12 · Fri 3 Jul
Winner Group I
vs
3rd from G/H/J/K
Match 13 · Fri 3 Jul
Runner-up Group G
vs
Runner-up Group L
Match 14 · Fri 3 Jul
Winner Group J
vs
3rd from G/H/K/L
Match 15 · Fri 3 Jul
Runner-up Group H
vs
Runner-up Group K
Match 16 · Fri 3 Jul
Winner Group K
vs
Winner Group L
How does the knockout stage work?
The 2026 World Cup has 48 teams for the first time, and therefore a Round of 32 for the first time. Here is the full route to the world title:
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Frequently asked questions — Round of 32 2026 World Cup
When are the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup?
The Round of 32 are played from Sunday 28th June 2026 to Friday 3rd July 2026. There are 16 matches in total.
Which stadiums are the round of 32 played at?
Matches are played across all three host nations: USA, Canada and Mexico.
How does the round of 32 work at the 2026 World Cup?
16 matches over 6 days. Tied matches: extra time and penalties. Winners advance to the Round of 16.
What is the difference between Round of 32, Round of 16 and quarter-finals at the 2026 World Cup?
The 2026 World Cup is the first ever with a Round of 32 (because of 48 teams). After that comes the Round of 16, then quarter-finals, semi-finals, third-place match and final.
What happens if a knockout match is tied?
If level after 90 minutes, extra time of 2x15 minutes follows. If still tied, penalties decide.
Last updated: 2026-06-07
