2026 World Cup
Knockout Stage
Complete 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage schedule — Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Third Place Match and the July 19 Final at MetLife Stadium. Official dates, kick-off times (EDT) and venues across USA, Canada and Mexico.
New in 2026: Round of 32
With 48 teams instead of 32, the 2026 World Cup introduces a brand new Round of 32 — the first extra knockout round in World Cup history. Instead of jumping straight to a Round of 16, the 32 qualified teams play 16 additional matches (June 28–July 3) before the familiar bracket begins. This is the #1 FAQ from new fans: yes, there is now an extra knockout game.
Planning last-minute knockout travel? Budget guide · Tickets guide · Getting between cities
Updated March 26, 2026 · Source: FIFA Official Fixtures
At a Glance
On This Page
Round of 32
June 28 – July 3, 2026
Brand new to the World Cup: 16 matches across 6 days decide the last 16 qualified teams. All 16 winners advance to the Round of 16. This is the first ever Round of 32 in World Cup history — a direct result of the expanded 48-team format.
Travel Note
Round of 32 spreads across 10 cities simultaneously — book accommodation early, as June 28 – July 3 is peak demand across all 16 host stadiums.
| Date | Time (EDT) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 28 | 3:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Brazil, Netherlands, Germany | 🇺🇸 Los Angeles |
| Jun 29 | 4:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: England, France, Portugal | 🇺🇸 Boston |
| Jun 29 | 9:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Belgium, Uruguay, Colombia | 🇲🇽 Monterrey |
| Jun 29 | 1:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Argentina, USA, Mexico | 🇺🇸 Houston |
| Jun 30 | 5:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: France, Brazil, Spain | 🇺🇸 New York/New Jersey |
| Jun 30 | 1:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Argentina, Portugal, England | 🇺🇸 Dallas |
| Jun 30 | 9:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Mexico, South Korea, Ecuador | 🇲🇽 Mexico City |
| Jul 1 | 12:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Spain, Morocco, Senegal | 🇺🇸 Atlanta |
| Jul 1 | 8:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: USA, Australia, Japan | 🇺🇸 San Francisco Bay Area |
| Jul 1 | 4:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Belgium, Netherlands, Japan | 🇺🇸 Seattle |
| Jul 2 | 7:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Canada, Germany, England | 🇨🇦 Toronto |
| Jul 2 | 3:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Brazil, Netherlands, Germany | 🇺🇸 Los Angeles |
| Jul 2 | 9:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Canada, Switzerland, Croatia | 🇨🇦 Vancouver |
| Jul 3 | 6:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Uruguay, Colombia, Portugal | 🇺🇸 Miami |
| Jul 3 | 9:30 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: USA, Argentina, France | 🇺🇸 Kansas City |
| Jul 3 | 2:00 PM EDT | Round of 32 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Argentina, Portugal, England | 🇺🇸 Dallas |
Flying to a Round of 32 City? Search Flights Now
Flights to NYC, Dallas, Miami and LA for late June and July 2026 are already rising. Kiwi.com searches flights, trains and buses across all carriers — including virtual interline routes that major OTAs miss.
Lock in your route before the bracket is confirmed after June 27 — post-bracket fares typically spike 40–80% overnight.
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Round of 16
July 4 – 7, 2026
The traditional last 16, now a third knockout round rather than the second. Eight high-stakes matches — perfect for fans who missed the group stage and want their first live World Cup experience.
Travel Note
July 4 is US Independence Day — expect the Philadelphia and any US-based R16 match to be extremely high demand. Book 6+ months in advance.
| Date | Time (EDT) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 4 | 5:00 PM EDT | Round of 16 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Brazil, USA, England | 🇺🇸 Philadelphia |
| Jul 4 | 1:00 PM EDT | Round of 16 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Argentina, USA, Mexico | 🇺🇸 Houston |
| Jul 5 | 4:00 PM EDT | Round of 16 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: France, Brazil, Spain | 🇺🇸 New York/New Jersey |
| Jul 5 | 8:00 PM EDT | Round of 16 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Mexico, South Korea, Ecuador | 🇲🇽 Mexico City |
| Jul 6 | 3:00 PM EDT | Round of 16 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Argentina, Portugal, England | 🇺🇸 Dallas |
| Jul 6 | 8:00 PM EDT | Round of 16 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Belgium, Netherlands, Japan | 🇺🇸 Seattle |
| Jul 6 | 12:00 PM EDT | Round of 16 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Spain, Morocco, Senegal | 🇺🇸 Atlanta |
| Jul 7 | 4:00 PM EDT | Round of 16 · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Canada, Switzerland, Croatia | 🇨🇦 Vancouver |
Quarterfinals
July 9 – 11, 2026
Four matches across three days in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Kansas City. These are the best travel value of the knockout rounds — high-stakes football in intimate World Cup atmospheres.
Travel Note
Quarterfinals fall mid-week (Thu–Sat), meaning you can combine a QF with a weekend city break. Miami and LA are peak summer prices — book hotels now.
| Date | Time (EDT) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 9 | 4:00 PM EDT | Quarterfinal · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: England, France, Portugal | 🇺🇸 Boston |
| Jul 10 | 3:00 PM EDT | Quarterfinal · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Brazil, Netherlands, Germany | 🇺🇸 Los Angeles |
| Jul 11 | 5:00 PM EDT | Quarterfinal · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Uruguay, Colombia, Portugal | 🇺🇸 Miami |
| Jul 11 | 9:00 PM EDT | Quarterfinal · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: USA, Argentina, France | 🇺🇸 Kansas City |
Book Quarterfinal Hotels Before Prices Triple
Hotels in Boston, LA, Miami and Kansas City are already filling up for July 9–11. Prices jump 3–5× face value once teams are confirmed after July 7 — book a refundable rate now and cancel free if your plans change.
Average nightly rates: $150 Kansas City · $220 Boston · $280 Miami · $350+ LA.
Affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Always check the cancellation policy before confirming.
Semifinals
July 14 – 15, 2026
Two semifinals: July 14 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas and July 15 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Both cities have direct trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flight connections.
Travel Note
Dallas and Atlanta offer better value than coastal semifinal cities. Hotel prices jump 3–5× face value in the 2–3 weeks before semifinals — set Google Hotel price alerts now.
| Date | Time (EDT) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 14 | 3:00 PM EDT | Semifinal · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Argentina, Portugal, England | 🇺🇸 Dallas |
| Jul 15 | 3:00 PM EDT | Semifinal · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Spain, Morocco, Senegal | 🇺🇸 Atlanta |
Third Place Match
July 18, 2026 — Miami
Hard Rock Stadium hosts the third place match on July 18 at 5:00 PM EDT. Often dismissed, the third place match has historically been a free-flowing, high-scoring game — 2022's Morocco vs Croatia went 2–1.
Travel Note
Best value ticket in the late knockout stage. Miami in July is hot but vibrant — the Wynwood and Brickell neighbourhoods make for excellent pre-match entertainment.
| Date | Time (EDT) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18 | 5:00 PM EDT | Third Place Match · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: Uruguay, Colombia, Portugal | 🇺🇸 Miami |
The Final — MetLife Stadium
Sunday, July 19, 2026 — East Rutherford, NJ
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final takes place at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey — the largest stadium in the tournament (82,500 capacity). Kick-off is 3:00 PM EDT. This is the most-searched single match event of the entire tournament.
Travel Note
MetLife is accessible from Manhattan via NJ Transit (~40 mins from Penn Station). Book NYC or Newark hotels now — July 19 is one of the highest hotel demand dates in American sports history.
MetLife Stadium · East Rutherford, NJ
Sunday, July 19, 2026 · 3:00 PM EDT (8:00 PM BST)
| Date | Time (EDT) | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19 | 3:00 PM EDT | Final · TBD vs TBD ✦ Expected: France, Brazil, Spain | 🇺🇸 New York/New Jersey |
How the 2026 World Cup Bracket Works
📐 Step 1: Group Stage → 32 Qualifiers (Jun 11–27)
48 teams, 12 groups of 4. The top 2 from each group advance automatically (24 teams). The best 8 third-placed teams also advance. Result: exactly 32 teams.
🆕 Step 2: Round of 32 — New for 2026 (Jun 28–Jul 3)
16 matches across 6 days. Group winners are paired with third-placed qualifiers in pre-determined bracket slots. Win = advance. Lose = go home. 16 winners progress.
⚡ Step 3: Round of 16 (Jul 4–7)
8 matches. The familiar last-16 stage, now the third knockout round. Round of 32 winners are matched based on their original bracket quadrant.
🔥 Step 4: Quarterfinals (Jul 9–11)
4 matches. The traditional "last 8" — each game is a standalone event at Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, and Kansas City.
🌟 Step 5: Semifinals (Jul 14–15)
Dallas (Jul 14) and Atlanta (Jul 15). QF1+QF2 winners meet; QF3+QF4 winners meet. Semi-finalists are confirmed for the Final and Third Place Match.
🥉 Step 6: Third Place + Final (Jul 18–19)
Semi-final losers play the Third Place Match at Miami (Jul 18). The two semi-final winners meet in the Final at MetLife Stadium, NJ (Jul 19).
No draws in the knockout stage. All knockout games that are tied after 90 minutes go to 30 minutes of extra time. If still level, a penalty shootout decides the winner.
2026 World Cup Knockout Stage Contenders
Based on the official group draw and current FIFA rankings, these are the teams most likely to go deep in the knockout bracket. Editorial predictions only — group results will reshape the bracket.
🇪🇺Europe
Defending semi-finalist, Mbappé era peak
Consecutive finals run, hungry for first title
Euro 2024 winners, most fluid attack in Europe
Ronaldo twilight era; Bruno/Félix carrying forward
Home-nation pride after 2024 disappointment
🌎South America
Reigning champions; Messi's last World Cup
Desperate to end 24-year drought
Dangerous in knockout format; Núñez up front
🌍CONCACAF
Co-host advantage; best generation in US soccer history
Home support at Azteca; desperate to break the Round of 16 curse
Dark horse: Davies, David, Larin in form
🌍Africa & Asia
2022 semifinalists — proven knockout team
Tactically elite; consistently beat European sides
Mané era successor generation, physical and direct
Iran — Group G withdrawal
Iran have withdrawn from the 2026 World Cup, affecting the Group G bracket. Read our full breakdown of what happens next →
World Cup Knockout Stage Tickets — Verified Resale
Official FIFA tickets sold out during the public ballot. Verified resale available now from $150 (R32 CAT3) up to $3,500+ (Final CAT1 Lower Bowl). Inventory drops sharply once the bracket is confirmed after June 27 — act early.
Ticketmaster is the official verified resale partner for FIFA 2026 World Cup matches in the United States.
Affiliate link — we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Always buy from verified resellers only.
Knockout Stage Travel Tips
1. Book accommodation now — even before you have tickets
Hotel prices in NYC, Miami and LA during July 2026 are already at record highs. Book a refundable rate immediately — you can cancel if your team exits. Waiting until the bracket is set (after June 27) typically means 3–5× price spikes.
2. Dallas hosts both Semifinals — build your base there
AT&T Stadium hosts SF1 (Jul 14) and is a short flight from Mercedes-Benz Stadium (SF2, Jul 15, Atlanta). Dallas–Atlanta is a 2-hour direct flight, making it the only realistic way to attend both Semis.
3. Fly into Newark (EWR) for the Final — not JFK
MetLife Stadium is a 20-minute drive from Newark Airport. JFK adds 90 minutes in traffic on match day. NJ Transit trains from Penn Station Manhattan run directly to the stadium in ~40 minutes.
4. Miami is your 3rd-place match base
Hard Rock Stadium hosts both QF3 (Jul 11) and the Third Place Match (Jul 18). If your team doesn't reach the Final, Miami on July 18 is outstanding value — book once for both potential visits.
5. Monterrey and Mexico City remain cheapest knockout cities
Both host a Round of 32 match. Mexico City and Monterrey offer mid-range hotels at $120–200/night — 60% cheaper than equivalent dates in NYC or LA.
6. The Round of 32 is the best live value of the knockout stage
Lower demand (teams TBD), more matches per day, spread across 10 cities — accommodation is still reasonable. For fans who want a knockout game without Final prices, target June 28–July 3.
See also: Full budget breakdown · Getting between cities · Ticket buying guide
Need a Car Between Knockout Cities?
Dallas, LA, Atlanta and Kansas City are car-dependent cities — public transit to the stadiums is limited. Compare prices from all major brands (Hertz, Enterprise, Budget, Avis) in one search.
Rates from $35/day economy · $60/day SUV. Book early — stadium-area pickups sell out fast in July.
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Protect Your Knockout Stage Trip
Knockout travel means last-minute bookings and non-refundable tickets worth hundreds — sometimes thousands — of dollars. VisitorsCoverage covers trip cancellations, medical emergencies, flight delays and lost baggage across 175+ countries.
Policies from $50 for 2-week coverage. Get an instant quote in under 60 seconds.
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Stay Connected Across All 3 Host Countries
Following the bracket through USA, Canada and Mexico means crossing three borders and three different carrier networks. An Airalo eSIM gives you a single data plan covering all three countries from $5/week — activated instantly before you board. No physical SIM. No roaming charges.
Works on all modern iPhones (XS+) and Android devices. Download and install before departure — no Wi-Fi needed to activate on arrival.
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Knockout Stage FAQs
🏆 Final Quick Facts
- Date
- July 19, 2026
- Venue
- MetLife Stadium
- City
- East Rutherford, NJ
- Kick-off (EDT)
- 3:00 PM
- Kick-off (BST)
- 8:00 PM
- Kick-off (CEST)
- 9:00 PM
- Capacity
- 82,500
- Transit
- NJ Transit from Penn Station
MetLife Stadium Guide →
🏨 Find Hotels
Prices rising fast. Book refundable now.
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