KNOCKOUT BRACKET
32 teams · 56 matches · Single elimination · June 28 – July 19
48
Group Stage
Jun 11–27
72 matches
32
Round of 32
Jun 28–Jul 1
16 matches
16
Round of 16
Jul 4–6
8 matches
8
Quarter Finals
Jul 9–10
4 matches
4
Semi Finals
Jul 14–15
2 matches
2
Final
Jul 19
MetLife Stadium
MetLife Stadium · East Rutherford, NJ
Sunday, July 19, 2026
Argentina vs
France
Most likely final based on 20,000 Monte Carlo simulations
🏆 WHO WILL LIFT THE TROPHY?
| # | Nation | Group | R32 | R16 | QF | SF | Final | Winner | Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina ARG | J | 99.7% | 99.7% | 78.1% | 58.9% | 42.6% | 48.8% | |
| 2 | France FRA | I | 99.7% | 99.7% | 75.7% | 54.9% | 38% | 39.2% | |
| 3 | Spain ESP | H | 99.5% | 99.5% | 73.4% | 50.8% | 33% | 32.2% | |
| 4 | England ENG | L | 99.3% | 99.3% | 70.7% | 47.4% | 29.5% | 26.3% | |
| 5 | Brazil BRA | C | 99.6% | 99.6% | 69.4% | 45.9% | 28% | 24.3% | |
| 6 | Portugal POR | K | 99.3% | 99.3% | 68.6% | 44.6% | 26.9% | 22.1% | |
| 7 | Netherlands NED | F | 99.2% | 99.2% | 66.9% | 41.8% | 24.3% | 18.9% | |
| 8 | Belgium BEL | G | 99.6% | 99.6% | 64.5% | 38.5% | 21.1% | 14.8% | |
| 9 | Germany GER | E | 99.4% | 99.4% | 63% | 37.3% | 19.8% | 14.2% | |
| 10 | Croatia CRO | L | 96.7% | 96.7% | 59.2% | 32.8% | 16.5% | 10.3% | |
| 11 | Uruguay URU | H | 96.1% | 96.1% | 56.9% | 30.8% | 14.7% | 8.6% | |
| 12 | Colombia COL | K | 96.9% | 96.9% | 54.6% | 27.4% | 12.6% | 7.1% | |
| 13 | United States USA | D | 97.3% | 97.3% | 50.4% | 23.6% | 9.5% | 4.4% | |
| 14 | Japan JPN | F | 92.4% | 92.4% | 49.1% | 23.2% | 9.5% | 4.4% | |
| 15 | Mexico MEX | A | 97.9% | 97.9% | 47.8% | 20.9% | 7.8% | 3.2% | |
| 16 | Morocco MAR | C | 94.9% | 94.9% | 46.3% | 19.9% | 7.2% | 3.1% |
NEW FORMAT FOR 2026
First World Cup with 48 teams and a Round of 32. Top 2 from each of 12 groups advance automatically, plus the 8 best 3rd-place finishers. This means 66.7% of teams make the knockout stage — the highest rate in WC history.
3RD PLACE RULE
Third-place teams are ranked across all 12 groups by: points, then goal difference, then goals scored, then fair play score, then FIFA ranking. The top 8 advance. This creates dramatic final matchday scenarios where results in other groups affect your fate.
KNOCKOUT RULES
All knockout matches from R32 onwards are single elimination. If tied after 90 minutes: 30 minutes extra time, then penalty shootout. No away goals rule. No replays. One loss and you're out.