when does the knockout round start

The knockout round starts on 28 June 2026 , with the Round of 32 kicking off the tournament’s knockout stage.

Timing

• The group stage ends on 27 June 2026.

• The knockout stage begins the next day, 28 June 2026.

• The first knockout phase is the Round of 32.

Quick context

That means teams moving on from the group stage should be ready for elimination matches immediately after the final group games wrap up.

The knockout bracket then continues through the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final, which is scheduled for 19 July 2026.