The knockout stage is a single-elimination part of the tournament: win and you move on, lose and you’re out. In the 2026 World Cup, 32 teams reach this stage, with the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams.

How it works

  • The knockout round starts with the Round of 32.
  • From there it goes to the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final.
  • If a match is tied after 90 minutes, teams play 30 minutes of extra time.
  • If it is still tied, the winner is decided by a penalty shootout.

Group-stage link

The bracket is filled from group-stage results, so finishing position matters for who you face next. For the 2026 tournament, the best third-placed teams also advance, and they are ranked using points, goal difference, goals scored, and then fair play if needed.

Simple example

If Team A wins its Round of 32 match, it advances to the Round of 16. If it loses, its tournament is over immediately, even if it had done well in the group stage.

If you want, I can also show the knockout stage as a simple bracket.