World Cup 2026 knockout stage begins with historic first round of 32
The 2026 FIFA World Cup's first knockout round opens today with South Africa facing Canada in Los Angeles, marking the expanded 48-team tournament's debut of a 32-team bracket.
The round of 32 is a new phase for the men's World Cup, introduced after FIFA expanded the finals from 32 to 48 nations. Sixteen matches over seven days will determine which teams advance to the last 16. The tournament has already delivered surprises, with South Africa and Canada both reaching the knockout stage for the first time, while traditional powerhouses such as Argentina, Brazil, France and Spain progressed as expected.
Opening day and the path ahead
South Africa and Canada meet at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday 28 June (21:00 CET). Canada, co-hosting alongside the United States and Mexico, finished second in Group B with four points, powered by an attack that scored eight goals in the group phase. South Africa recovered from an opening loss to Mexico by drawing with the Czech Republic and beating South Korea to claim second place in Group A.
The winner faces either the Netherlands or Morocco in the last 16. The Netherlands vs Morocco match is scheduled for the early hours of 30 June in Monterrey, Mexico.
Marquee fixtures
Several heavyweight clashes stand out. Brazil meets Japan in Houston on 29 June; the Seleção scored seven goals and conceded one in the group, while Japan went unbeaten with five points. Germany takes on Paraguay later that evening in Boston, bringing the tournament's most prolific group-stage attack (ten goals). France, the 2018 champions, plays Sweden on 30 June, and Argentina, the defending champion, faces Cape Verde on 3 July in Miami. Other notable pairings include Mexico vs Ecuador, England vs DR Congo, and Portugal vs Croatia.
Broadcast details
In Italy, DAZN streams every match live. Rai offers free-to-air coverage of one match per day, including today's opener and prime-time fixtures such as Brazil vs Japan, France vs Sweden, and Argentina vs Cape Verde.
- South Africa vs Canada (Los Angeles)
- Brazil vs Japan (Houston)
- Germany vs Paraguay (Boston)
- Netherlands vs Morocco (Monterrey)
- Ivory Coast vs Norway (Dallas)
- France vs Sweden (New York/New Jersey)
- Mexico vs Ecuador (Mexico City)
- England vs DR Congo (Atlanta)
- Belgium vs Senegal (Seattle)
- United States vs Bosnia (San Francisco Bay Area)
- Spain vs Austria (Los Angeles)
- Portugal vs Croatia (Toronto)
- Switzerland vs Algeria (Vancouver)
- Australia vs Egypt (Dallas)
- Argentina vs Cape Verde (Miami)
- Colombia vs Ghana (Kansas City)
Tournament stakes
The 2026 edition is the first World Cup to feature a round of 32. The expanded format means more knockout games and a longer path to the final, scheduled for 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The draw has already set up possible quarter-final and semi-final crossovers between Europe and South America's top teams.
