The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage will run from June 28 to July 19, 2026, featuring 32 teams in a single-elimination format that concludes with the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. After the group stage, the top two teams from each of the twelve groups and the eight best third-place teams advance, with tied matches going to extra time and penalty shootouts. The round of 32 pairs group winners against runners-up and third-place teams, with notable matchups including Mexico vs Ecuador, Germany vs Paraguay, France vs Sweden, and England vs DR Congo. In a standout opener, Morocco defeated Canada 3-0, with Azzedine Ounahi scoring twice and Soufiane Rahimi adding a third, while the match was preceded by a ceremony for the U.S. Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence). With 32 knockout matches, including a third-place playoff, the bracket promises high-stakes drama from the round of 32 to the world championship final.