The 2026 FIFA World Cup has entered the knockout stage as the historic Round of 32 gets underway, marking the first time the tournament has featured a 32-team knockout bracket following FIFA’s expansion to 48 participating nations.
The knockout phase begins on June 28 and will run through July 3, with 16 high-stakes matches determining the teams that will progress to the Round of 16. The expanded format allows the top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams, to advance beyond the group stage.
The opening Round of 32 fixture sees South Africa face Canada, while other headline clashes include Brazil against Japan, Germany versus Paraguay, Netherlands against Morocco, France against Sweden, England against DR Congo, and Portugal against Croatia.
Tournament favourites including Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal and England have successfully navigated the group stage and now face the challenge of surviving the single-elimination format, where defeat means immediate exit from the competition.
Several surprise packages have also reached the knockout rounds, with Morocco, Cape Verde, DR Congo and Bosnia and Herzegovina emerging as some of the tournament’s standout performers so far.
With a place in the Round of 16 at stake, football fans across the world are expected to witness intense contests as the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup title enters its decisive phase.
World Cup Round of 32 Kicks Off
