World Cup 2026 knockout bracket drawn: Dutch-Morocco, Portugal-Croatia headline round of 32
The 48-team group stage concluded and 32 nations now know their path to the 19 July final in New York. The round of 32 opens with South Africa v Canada tonight at 22:00 Greek time.
Groups wrapped, knockouts begin
The expanded group phase, the largest in World Cup history with 48 teams, is over. Thirty-two sides have progressed to the single-elimination bracket, with matches scheduled from 28 June through the early hours of 4 July. The round of 32 opens on Sunday evening (Greek time) when South Africa face Canada.
The heavy European half
One side of the bracket is loaded with UEFA powerhouses. Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Belgium all landed on the same half, setting up a brutal road to the semi-finals. Among the standout ties: the Netherlands meet a dangerous Morocco side, Portugal must get past Croatia, Spain take on Austria, France clash with Sweden, and Germany open against Paraguay.
South American favourites on the other side
Brazil and Argentina headline the opposite half. Brazil begin against Japan, while defending champions Argentina were drawn against Cape Verde, the surprise debutants of the tournament. Other notable pairings include England v DR Congo, Ivory Coast v Norway, Mexico v Ecuador, and Australia v Egypt. The bracket also features Switzerland-Algeria and Colombia-Ghana.
- South Africa vs Canada – Sunday 22:00
- Brazil vs Japan – Monday 20:00
- Germany vs Paraguay – Monday 23:30
- Netherlands vs Morocco – Tuesday 04:00
- Ivory Coast vs Norway – Tuesday 20:00
- France vs Sweden – Wednesday 00:00
- Mexico vs Ecuador – Wednesday 04:00
- England vs DR Congo – Wednesday 19:00
- Belgium vs Senegal – Wednesday 23:00
- USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina – Thursday 03:00
- Spain vs Austria – Thursday 22:00
- Portugal vs Croatia – Friday 02:00
- Switzerland vs Algeria – Friday 06:00
- Australia vs Egypt – Friday 21:00
- Argentina vs Cape Verde – Saturday 01:00
- Colombia vs Ghana – Saturday 04:30
The road to New York
The round of 16 runs from 4 to 7 July, followed by the quarter-finals from 9 to 12 July. The semi-finals are set for 14 and 15 July, with the final taking place in New York on 19 July.
What to watch
Several match-ups pit established nations against rising teams. Cape Verde’s first-ever knockout appearance against Argentina is one storyline, while the European-heavy half guarantees a series of high-profile collisions before the final. A possible semi-final bracket could see two of Germany, France, Spain or the Netherlands squaring off, whereas the other semi-final might feature Brazil against the winner of England’s quarter.
