The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage format, criteria and rules for qualification. Find out who’s in and who’s out.The knockout bracket in the FIFA World Cup 2026 is starting to take shape.It begins with the round of 32, which runs from June 28 to July 3.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3World Cup Day 9: USA, Brazil and Morocco return to actionlist 2 of 3World Cup: Five keys to USA vs Australia – Pulisic fit? Can USMNT qualify?list 3 of 3Bruised Brazil face tiny Haiti in search of World Cup resetend of listWhat is the format and criteria for qualification, and which teams have progressed or been eliminated?What is the format of the World Cup knockouts?The top two teams in each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-place finishers, advance to knockouts.The knockout phase begins with the round of 32, introduced for the first time at a World Cup after the expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams.Then comes the round of 16, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and a playoff for third place. The final is on July 19.The stage-wise breakdown of the tournament’s schedule is:
Group stage: June 11 to June 27
Round of 32: June 28 to July 3
Round of 16: July 4-7
