​In East Rutherford, New Jersey on June 22, Erling Haaland of Norway celebrated his team’s third goal in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match against Senegal at the New York New Jersey Stadium. The photo is credited to Al Bello/Getty Images.
Only a few days remain in group play at the 2026 World Cup, and the Round of 32 is taking shape. As of Friday morning, 14 teams have secured spots in the knockout stage, and four of the 16 Round of 32 matches have been set. By the end of today’s games, more teams will have clinched Round of 32 berths, and by the weekend the Round of 32 picture will be complete. We can then begin contemplating potential Round of 16 matchups.
Here’s what we know about the Round of 32, and what could unfold in the Round of 16. Update: The Round of 32 is now complete, with Austria and Algeria joining the field. Be sure to join the discussion on every Match Day on The Feed!
2026 FIFA World Cup bracket
Let’s begin with the knockout-round bracket for the 2026 World Cup. Courtesy of USA Today, here is the Round of 32 bracket:
Round of 32 matches
We’ll walk through the bracket from the upper left, starting with Match 74. Match 74 will feature the top team from Group E against a third-place team from Group A, B, C, D, or F. Germany has clinched Group E and awaits a winner. For full third-place standings and to see which teams have qualified as third-place teams, we’ve got you covered.
Update: Paraguay has been confirmed as Germany’s opponent.
Match 77: France vs. Sweden
Continuing down the bracket, Match 77 will pit the Group I winner against a third-place team from Groups C, D, F, G, or H. The Group I winner will be either France or Norway, determined when those teams meet on Friday afternoon. For the third-place standings, see our coverage. Update: France defeated Norway 4-1 to clinch Group I and will face Sweden in Match 77.
Match 73: South Africa vs. Canada
This match marks our first fully set Round of 32 game and features two second-place teams: Canada from Group B and South Africa from Group A.
Match 75: Netherlands vs. Morocco
Another confirmed Round of 32 match, featuring the Netherlands, winners of Group F, against Morocco, who finished second in Group C.
Match 83: Portugal vs. Croatia
Moving to the lower-left quadrant, Match 83 will feature the second-place team from Group K and Croatia, who finished second in Group L after beating Ghana. Update: Portugal has clinched second place in Group K and will now face Croatia.
Match 84: Spain vs. Austria
The next listed match is likewise set, continuing the Round of 32 schedule.