The second round of the 2026 World Cup is the Round of 32. As of June 28, 2026, 32 teams have progressed and 16 have been eliminated from the group stage, with the knockout bracket now set.

What is confirmed

  • The tournament has moved into the Round of 32, which is the first knockout round.
  • South Africa vs Canada is one of the opening Round of 32 matches.
  • England has already qualified for the knockout rounds after topping its group.
  • Iran and Korea have been eliminated from the tournament.

Important note

The exact list of all 32 teams in the second round is not fully shown in the snippets I have here, but the bracket is confirmed and current coverage says 32 teams are through.

Round-of-32 context

This stage is often called the second round by some fans, but in World Cup terms it is the knockout round after the group stage. For many teams, this is the first do-or-die match of the tournament.

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ItemStatus
StageRound of 32 / knockout round
Teams through32
Teams eliminated16
Example fixtureSouth Africa vs Canada
TL;DR: **32 teams** reached the World Cup 2026 second round, meaning the **Round of 32** knockout stage has begun.