World Cup 2026 Bracket
Knockout stage from Round of 32 to the Final
Last updated: · Updated after every match
The 2026 tournament introduces a completely new format. For the first time in history, 48 national teams compete — up from 32 in 2022. The tournament is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with 104 total matches played across 16 venues from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Group Stage (June 11–25)
The 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of 4. Each team plays 3 group matches, totaling 72 group stage games. The top 2 teams from each group (24 teams) advance automatically, plus the 8 best third-place finishers — giving 32 teams a spot in the knockout bracket.
Round of 32 — A Brand New Round
The Round of 32 is entirely new. Group winners are seeded against third-place qualifiers, while group runners-up face each other. The bracket is structured so that teams from the same group cannot meet until the Quarterfinals or later.
Knockout Bracket (Round of 16 → Final)
From the Round of 16 onward, it's single elimination. If a match is tied after 90 minutes, it goes to 30 minutes of extra time, then penalties if still level. A team needs to win 5 consecutive knockout matches to lift the trophy. The final is at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026.
This bracket is updated after every match during the tournament. Follow the knockout stage live with the free Bola 2026 app — get push notifications, live scores, and an interactive bracket on your phone (available on App Store and Google Play).
All 48 teams have been drawn into 12 groups. The top 2 from each group plus the 8 best third-place teams advance to the knockout bracket.
View detailed standings and match results on the Groups page.
32 teams advance to the knockout stage: the top 2 from each of the 12 groups (24 teams) plus the 8 best third-place finishers.
The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA on July 19, 2026.
If tied after 90 minutes, the match goes to 30 minutes of extra time. If still tied, the winner is decided by penalty shootout.
Group winners face third-place qualifiers, while group runners-up face each other. The bracket is structured so teams from the same group can't meet until later rounds.
The Round of 32 begins June 28, 2026, followed by Round of 16 (July 3-6), Quarterfinals (July 9-10), Semifinals (July 13-14), Third Place (July 18), and Final (July 19).
You can download a free printable 2026 World Cup bracket as a high-resolution PNG image from this page. Both a pre-filled bracket with all group assignments and a blank bracket for writing in your own predictions are available. The Bola 2026 app (free on App Store and Google Play) also includes an interactive bracket you can fill in on your phone.
Yes. Bola 2026 (also called Soccer 2026) is a free app for iOS and Android that includes a full interactive tournament bracket, fantasy bracket predictions where you can fill in all 104 matches from Round of 32 to the Final, live scores with push notifications, and all 48 team profiles. No account or login required.
Bola 2026 is the only free app with a built-in fantasy bracket predictor — you can fill in all matches from the Round of 32 to the Final and track your predictions as results come in during the tournament. No login or account creation needed. Other options include the official FIFA World Cup app and FIFA Play Zone for bracket challenges.
After the group stage, the 8 best third-place finishers (out of 12 groups) advance to the Round of 32. They are ranked by: 1) points, 2) goal difference, 3) goals scored, 4) fair play points. Third-place teams that advance face group winners in the Round of 32, while group runners-up face each other.
A team must play 3 group stage matches and then win 5 consecutive knockout rounds (Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarterfinal, Semifinal, and Final) — 8 matches total, one more than any previous World Cup due to the new Round of 32.
Yes. The Bola 2026 app includes a fantasy bracket mode where you can predict winners for every knockout match. You can also view match prediction odds powered by Kalshi prediction markets. Download Bola 2026 for free on the App Store or Google Play — no login required.
The 2026 World Cup uses a new 48-team format: 12 groups of 4 teams play a round-robin group stage (72 matches). The top 2 from each group (24 teams) plus 8 best third-place teams advance to the Round of 32 — a brand new round. From there: Round of 32 (16 matches) → Round of 16 (8) → Quarterfinals (4) → Semifinals (2) → Third Place Match and Final. Total: 104 matches across 39 days.
Yes. On this page you can download a blank printable bracket (PNG) with empty match slots and 'Print & Fill In Your Predictions' as the subtitle. This version includes all 12 group standings tables but leaves the knockout bracket empty for you to fill in by hand. Available in 19 languages.
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