The World Cup knockout stage starts on 28 June 2026 , right after the group stage ends on 27 June. In this tournament, the knockout phase begins with the Round of 32.

What that means

  • Group-stage matches finish first.
  • Then the top 32 teams move into the elimination rounds.
  • From there, it goes Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final.

Dates at a glance

Stage| Dates
---|---
Round of 32| 28 June – 3 July 2026 3
Round of 16| 4 July – 7 July 2026 3
Quarter-finals| 9 July – 11 July 2026 3
Semi-finals| 14 July – 15 July 2026 3
Third-place match| 18 July 2026 3
Final| 19 July 2026 3

So the quick scoop is: knockouts start the day after the group stage ends — on June 28.