2026 World Cup Knockout Stage Begins As Full Round Of 32 Fixtures, Dates And Match Venues Confirmed
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially entered the knockout stage after the completion of the group phase, with tournament organizers confirming the complete Round of 32 fixtures, match dates, venues and kickoff schedule for the next round of the competition.
The historic tournament, jointly hosted by United States, Canada, and Mexico, is the first edition of the World Cup to feature 48 teams, introducing a brand-new Round of 32 stage before the traditional Round of 16.
With the group stage now concluded, 32 nations have booked places in the knockout rounds, where every match becomes a direct elimination battle with no second chances for losing teams.
The knockout action officially begins on Sunday, June 28, with South Africa facing co-host Canada in the opening Round of 32 fixture. The match will be played at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, with kickoff scheduled for 12:00 PM local time (3:00 PM ET).
Action continues on Monday, June 29, starting with Germany vs Paraguay at Boston Stadium with kickoff set for 4:30 PM local time (4:30 PM ET). Later the same day, Netherlands will battle Morocco at Estadio Monterrey, Mexico with kickoff at 7:00 PM local time.
Still on June 29, five-time champions Brazil will take on Japan at Houston Stadium, one of the most anticipated fixtures of the round, scheduled for 12:00 PM local time (1:00 PM ET).
On Tuesday, June 30, former world champions France will square off against Sweden in a major European clash at New York/New Jersey Stadium, with kickoff fixed for 5:00 PM local time (5:00 PM ET).
Also scheduled for June 30 is Côte d’Ivoire vs Norway, taking place at Dallas Stadium at 12:00 PM local time, while host nation Mexico will face Ecuador later that day at the famous Estadio Azteca, Mexico City.
On Wednesday, July 1, attention turns to co-host United States, who face Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, while another Round of 32 fixture will take place in Atlanta and a separate match in Seattle involving yet-to-be-confirmed third-place qualifiers.
On Thursday, July 2, another major set of knockout matches will be played, including a key fixture in Toronto, Canada, where the Group K runners-up will face the Group L runners-up, a matchup that could feature heavyweights such as Portugal, England, or Croatia depending on final standings.
Also on July 2, Spain will face another qualified opponent at Los Angeles Stadium, while Switzerland will battle another advancing team at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver.
The final Round of 32 fixtures will be played on Friday, July 3, with defending champions Argentina facing Cape Verde at Miami Stadium, while Australia go up against Egypt in Dallas.
Other major stars still chasing World Cup glory include Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, and several rising stars hoping to guide their nations deeper into the tournament.
After the Round of 32, winning teams will move into the Round of 16 beginning July 4, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and the grand final scheduled for July 19 at New York/New Jersey Stadium.
With several surprise teams still alive and football giants preparing for must-win battles, the 2026 World Cup has now entered its most dramatic and decisive stage as nations battle for football’s biggest prize.