
The group stage of the 2026 World Cup has reached its conclusion, and the path to the title is finally clear. After 72 matches across 16 venues in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the full Round of 32 bracket is now set, with every team’s opening knockout opponent, date, and venue confirmed.
The expanded 48-team format made this group stage unlike any other in tournament history. With 12 groups of four, only the top two finishers in each group were guaranteed automatic passage to the knockout rounds, while the remaining eight slots went to the best third-placed teams across the entire competition.
Among the headlines from the group stage, Argentina, France, and co-hosts Mexico all finished with a perfect nine points from nine, sending an early statement to the rest of the field. However, teams like Germany, Brazil, and Spain also enter the knockout rounds as serious threats, each having shown that they can also be called title contenders.
The race for the third-place spots produced some of the tournament’s most dramatic storylines. Ecuador, Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Paraguay were among the first to punch their tickets, while Senegal, Ghana, Argelia, and DR Congo held their nerve in the closing matchday to round out the group of eight survivors.
2026 World Cup knockout stage schedule
With every group finalized, here is the complete schedule for the Round of 32, running from June 28 to July 3:
Sunday, June 28
- South Africa vs Canada — Los Angeles Stadium
Monday, June 29
- Germany vs Paraguay — Boston Stadium
- Netherlands vs Morocco — Monterrey Stadium
- Brazil vs Japan — Houston Stadium
Tuesday, June 30
- France vs Sweden — New York New Jersey Stadium
- Ivory Coast vs Norway — Dallas Stadium
- Mexico vs Ecuador — Mexico City Stadium
Wednesday, July 1
- England vs DR Congo — Atlanta Stadium
- USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina — San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
- Belgium vs Senegal — Seattle Stadium
Thursday, July 2
- Portugal vs Croatia — Toronto Stadium
- Spain vs Austria — Los Angeles Stadium
- Switzerland vs Algeria — Vancouver Stadium
Friday, July 3
- Argentina vs Cape Verde — Miami Stadium
- Colombia vs Ghana — Kansas City Stadium
- Australia vs Egypt — Dallas Stadium
200+ Channels & Local Sports
- Price: Plans starting at $14.99/mo (Latino)
- Watch Ligue 1, Copa Libertadores & World Cup Qualifiers
Every MLS Match in One Place
- Price: $12.99/mo (Now included with standard subscription)
- Watch every MLS regular season game, Playoffs & Leagues Cup
Many Sports & ESPN Originals
- Price: $11.99/mo (or ESPN Unlimited for $29.99/mo)
- Features LaLiga, Bundesliga, FA Cup & NWSL
2,000+ Soccer Games Per Year
- Price: Starting at $8.99/mo
- Features Champions League, Serie A & Europa League
Home of the Premier League
- Price: Starting at $10.99/mo
- 175+ Exclusive EPL matches per season