2026 World Cup Knockout Stage: Teams and Schedule for Round of 16

The 2026 World Cup knockout rounds have started, and excitement is building as teams edge closer to glory. The tournament's format now features a Round of 32 before the Round of 16, marking a first in World Cup history. Top contenders such as France, Spain, Brazil, England, Portugal, and defending champions Argentina have all moved forward, while underdog squads like Cape Verde, DR Congo, and Bosnia & Herzegovina still have opportunities to make memorable runs.

Highlights from Round of 32 Matches

Canada opened the knockout phase with a dramatic win over South Africa, secured by Stephen Eustaquio's late goal that ended the match 1-0. This moment will be remembered fondly by Canadian fans.
Brazil overcame an early deficit against Japan thanks to a crucial equalizer by a veteran midfielder and a stoppage-time winner from Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli, finishing 2-1.
Paraguay stunned Germany in a penalty shootout, 4-3, with goalkeeper Orlando Gill saving two penalties to help his team advance.
Morocco also triumphed in penalties against the Netherlands after Issa Diop's stoppage-time goal forced extra time, where Ismael Sabari emerged as the hero.
Norway celebrated their first-ever knockout stage win, beating Ivory Coast 2-1 with Erling Haaland netting the game-winning goal.
France showed dominance with a 3-0 victory over Sweden, featuring a two-goal performance from Kylian Mbappe.
Mexico secured a 2-0 win against Colombia at Azteca Stadium, with goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez, maintaining a clean sheet for the fourth straight game.
England overcame a halftime deficit to beat DR Congo 2-1, thanks to two second-half goals by Harry Kane.
Belgium rallied from a two-goal deficit in the final minutes to defeat Senegal 3-2 in extra time, led by Romelu Lukaku.

Understanding the Knockout Format

The Round of 16 marks the second knockout phase where every match decides who moves on — no draws allowed. If matches end tied after regular time, they go into 30 minutes of extra time. If neither side scores in extra time, the winner is settled by a penalty shootout.

The bracket has been set since the group stage concluded. From this point, each team knows the potential path they must take to reach the final.