​Updated schedule and results for the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout games originally appeared on The Sporting News. The Sporting News is listed as a preferred source. The 2026 World Cup is entering its final week, with the four best teams in the world left to decide the champion.
The biggest World Cup ever began in mid-June, when 48 teams traveled to North America with hopes of a deep run. After weeks of intense competition, only four squads remain, each confident they can win the title. The semifinal matches promise to be high-stakes, featuring some of the sport’s biggest stars on football’s biggest stage. As in most sports, the semifinals mark a turning point where a championship dream starts to feel more tangible.
Here is the semifinal bracket for the 2026 World Cup. The knockout phase has brought the competition to its most exciting stage, with two semifinals determining who advances to the final on July 19. The losers of each semifinal will meet in the third-place game on July 18.
The two semifinal matchups are as follows: on one side, France versus Spain; on the other, England versus Argentina or Switzerland. England earned the Group L winner’s berth, advancing through the Round of 32 against DR Congo and the Round of 16 against Mexico, then reaching the quarterfinals against Norway in a dramatic run. Argentina claimed the Group J winner’s spot, advancing past Cape Verde in the Round of 32 and Egypt in the Round of 16, with Switzerland reaching the quarterfinals after topping their group in Group B and beating Algeria in the Round of 32 and Colombia in the Round of 16.
After an electrifying quarterfinal stage, four teams remain in the World Cup. The semifinals schedule shows two matches, with the winners moving on to face off in the final a week later. The World Cup format this year has presented unique challenges, as teams have been in competition longer than in previous editions, navigating three group-stage matches followed by three knockout-round matches to reach this stage.
Knockout matches tied after 90 minutes proceed to extra time, consisting of two 15-minute periods with stoppage time and a short intermission between periods, totaling a 30-minute additional period. Extra time is not golden-goal; teams must win in regulation by the end of the extra time to be declared the winner. If the score remains tied after extra time, the match is decided by a penalty shootout.