How many teams qualify for the Round of 32?

Thirty-two teams advance from the 48-team group stage: the top two in each of the 12 groups (24 teams), plus the eight best third-placed teams.

How are the best third-placed teams ranked?

All twelve third-placed teams are compared on points, then goal difference, then goals scored. Fair play and the drawing of lots follow if teams are still level.

When is a group's qualification final?

A group is final once all six group-stage matches are played. Until then, positions on this page are live projections from the current table.

World Cup 2026 Knockout Qualification (Archive)

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Road to the Round of 32

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World Cup 2026 Knockout Qualification (Archive) - The Goal Posts

Group stage complete — knockout is live

The 32 knockout spots are set. Track live scores, Round of 16 matchups, and the full path to the Final on the main bracket.

Live bracket Knockout fixtures

Live bracket →·Knockout fixtures →·Final group tables →

Road to the Round of 32

32 / 32 knockout spots filled

12 of 12 groups finished · Top two per group plus eight best third-placed teams

100%

groups complete

Who's in the Round of 32?

Live projection from group tables — updates as results come in

🇲🇽

Mexico

Group A · 9 pts · GD +6

🇿🇦

South Africa

Group A · 4 pts · GD -1

🇨🇭

Switzerland

Group B · 7 pts · GD +4

🇨🇦

Canada

Group B · 4 pts · GD +5

🇧🇷

Brazil

Group C · 7 pts · GD +6

🇲🇦

Morocco

Group C · 7 pts · GD +3

🇺🇸

United States

Group D · 6 pts · GD +4

🇦🇺

Australia

Group D · 4 pts · GD 0

🇩🇪

Germany

Group E · 6 pts · GD +6

🇨🇮

Ivory Coast

Group E · 6 pts · GD +2

🇳🇱

Netherlands

Group F · 7 pts · GD +6

🇯🇵

Japan

Group F · 5 pts · GD +4

🇧🇪

Belgium

Group G · 5 pts · GD +4

🇪🇬

Egypt

Group G · 5 pts · GD +2

🇪🇸

Spain

Group H · 7 pts · GD +5

🇨🇻

Cape Verde

Group H · 3 pts · GD 0

🇫🇷

France

Group I · 9 pts · GD +8

🇳🇴

Norway

Group I · 6 pts · GD +1

🇦🇷

Argentina

Group J · 9 pts · GD +7

🇦🇹

Austria

Group J · 4 pts · GD 0

🇨🇴

Colombia

Group K · 7 pts · GD +3

🇵🇹

Portugal

Group K · 5 pts · GD +5

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

England

Group L · 7 pts · GD +4

🇭🇷

Croatia

Group L · 6 pts · GD 0

🏳️

Congo DR

Group K · 4 pts · GD +1

🇸🇪

Sweden

Group F · 4 pts · GD 0

🇪🇨

Ecuador

Group E · 4 pts · GD 0

🇬🇭

Ghana

Group L · 4 pts · GD 0

🇧🇦

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Group B · 4 pts · GD -1

🇩🇿

Algeria

Group J · 4 pts · GD -2

🇵🇾

Paraguay

Group D · 4 pts · GD -2

🇸🇳

Senegal

Group I · 3 pts · GD +2

24 from top-two places · up to 8 confirmed best thirds

Best third-placed teams

Ranked by points, goal difference, then goals scored — top eight advance

#	Team	Grp	Pts	GD	GF	Status
1	🏳️Congo DR	K	4	+1	0	Best 3rd — in
2	🇸🇪Sweden	F	4	0	7	Best 3rd — in
3	🇪🇨Ecuador	E	4	0	2	Best 3rd — in
4	🇬🇭Ghana	L	4	0	2	Best 3rd — in
5	🇧🇦Bosnia-Herzegovina	B	4	-1	5	Best 3rd — in
6	🇩🇿Algeria	J	4	-2	5	Best 3rd — in
7	🇵🇾Paraguay	D	4	-2	2	Best 3rd — in
8	🇸🇳Senegal	I	3	+2	8	Best 3rd — in
9	🇮🇷Iran	G	3	0	3	Best 3rd — out
10	🇰🇷South Korea	A	3	-1	2	Best 3rd — out
11	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scotland	C	3	-3	1	Best 3rd — out
12	🇺🇾Uruguay	H	2	-1	3	Best 3rd — out

Round of 32 preview

Projected knockout ties from the live bracket

Full bracket →

Knockout Bracket

28 of 32 knockout matches played · Now: Semi-Finals · Auto-updates from ESPN

R32

R16

Final

R16

8/8

4/4

2/2

SF 1

France2

Spain2

SF 2

England2

Argentina3

🏆 Final

1/1

🏆 Final 1

?SF 1 Winner

Argentina3

Round of 32 on the full bracket page

All groups

Qualification zone and third-place race by group

Group A

Final

1🇲🇽Mexico
9pQualified
2🇿🇦South Africa
4pQualified
3🇰🇷South Korea
3pBest 3rd — out
4🇨🇿Czechia
1pEliminated

Group B

Final

1🇨🇭Switzerland
7pQualified
2🇨🇦Canada
4pQualified
3🇧🇦Bosnia-Herzegovina
4pBest 3rd — in
4🇶🇦Qatar
1pEliminated

Group C

Final

1🇧🇷Brazil
7pQualified
2🇲🇦Morocco
7pQualified
3🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scotland
3pBest 3rd — out
4🇭🇹Haiti
0pEliminated

Group D

Final

1🇺🇸United States
6pQualified
2🇦🇺Australia
4pQualified
3🇵🇾Paraguay
4pBest 3rd — in
4🇹🇷Türkiye
3pEliminated

Group E

Final

1🇩🇪Germany
6pQualified
2🇨🇮Ivory Coast
6pQualified
3🇪🇨Ecuador
4pBest 3rd — in
4🇨🇼Curaçao
1pEliminated

Group F

Final

1🇳🇱Netherlands
7pQualified
2🇯🇵Japan
5pQualified
3🇸🇪Sweden
4pBest 3rd — in
4🇹🇳Tunisia
0pEliminated

Group G

Final

1🇧🇪Belgium
5pQualified
2🇪🇬Egypt
5pQualified
3🇮🇷Iran
3pBest 3rd — out
4🇳🇿New Zealand
1pEliminated

Group H

Final

1🇪🇸Spain
7pQualified
2🇨🇻Cape Verde
3pQualified
3🇺🇾Uruguay
2pBest 3rd — out
4🇸🇦Saudi Arabia
2pEliminated

Group I

Final

1🇫🇷France
9pQualified
2🇳🇴Norway
6pQualified
3🇸🇳Senegal
3pBest 3rd — in
4🇮🇶Iraq
0pEliminated

Group J

Final

1🇦🇷Argentina
9pQualified
2🇦🇹Austria
4pQualified
3🇩🇿Algeria
4pBest 3rd — in
4🇯🇴Jordan
0pEliminated

Group K

Final

1🇨🇴Colombia
7pQualified
2🇵🇹Portugal
5pQualified
3🏳️Congo DR
4pBest 3rd — in
4🇺🇿Uzbekistan
0pEliminated

Group L

Final

1🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿England
7pQualified
2🇭🇷Croatia
6pQualified
3🇬🇭Ghana
4pBest 3rd — in
4🇵🇦Panama
0pEliminated

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World Cup 2026 knockout qualification

How many teams qualify for the Round of 32?: Thirty-two teams advance from the 48-team group stage: the top two in each of the 12 groups (24 teams), plus the eight best third-placed teams.
How are the best third-placed teams ranked?: All twelve third-placed teams are compared on points, then goal difference, then goals scored. Fair play and the drawing of lots follow if teams are still level.
When is a group's qualification final?: A group is final once all six group-stage matches are played. Until then, positions on this page are live projections from the current table.