Only a few days remain in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Round of 32 is quickly coming together.
As of Friday morning, 14 teams have secured their places in the knockout rounds, with four of the 16 matches already set. By the end of today’s games, more teams will qualify, and everything should be locked in by the weekend.
So, we’ll soon be thinking about potential matchups for the Round of 16.
Here’s an overview of what’s happening in the Round of 32 and what can be expected in the next round.
2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification
Let’s dive into the brackets for the upcoming World Cup finals. The knockout rounds are shaping up nicely.
Starting with the top left match:
Match 74: Germany vs. TBD
In Game 74, the top team from Group E will face the third-place team from Groups A, B, C, D, or F.
Germany has successfully advanced from Group E and awaits its opponent. Here are the standings for the third-place teams that will make the Round of 32.
Next in the bracket is Match 77.
Match 77: TBD vs. TBD
Game 77 will feature the top team from Group I against the third-place team from Group C, D, F, G, or H.
The leader of Group I will be either France or Norway, and that will be determined when they go head-to-head on Friday.
Match 73: South Africa vs. Canada
Shifting down the bracket, we have the first complete match set in the Round of 32.
Canada, from Group B, will take on South Africa, who advanced from Group A.
Match 75: Netherlands vs. Morocco
This matchup has the potential to be quite noteworthy.
The Netherlands, as Group F winners, will face Morocco, who finished second in Group C.
Then, moving to Match 83, the lower left of the bracket, we’ll see the second-place teams from Groups K and L go head-to-head.
Match 84 will match the top team from Group H against the second-place team from Group J. Currently, Spain leads Group H, with either Austria or Algeria vying for the spot in Group J.
Match 81: USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
The 81st matchup is confirmed.
The United States defeated Australia to clinch a spot in the knockout stages. Meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina secured their place as a third-place team late Wednesday, officially matched against the USMNT on Thursday night.
The last determined match on the left side hasn’t been finalized yet.
The top team in Group G will play against a third-place team from Groups A, E, H, I, or J. As it stands, Egypt holds the top position in Group G, but it’s a tight race with Iran and Belgium still in contention.
Match 76: Brazil vs. Japan
Now let’s look over to the right side of the bracket, starting from the top. An enticing game awaits between Brazil and Japan. Brazil advanced as the winner of Group C while Japan took second place in Group F.
Match 78: Ivory Coast vs. TBD
We already have one confirmed contender for Match 78: Ivory Coast has advanced as the second-place team in Group E, while their opponent will be the second-place team from Group I, either France or Norway.
In Matchday 79, host team Mexico will face a third-place team from Groups C, E, F, H, and I, which is still to be confirmed—it could be Scotland or Ecuador, depending on outcomes.
Game 80 will set the Group L winner against a third-place team from Group E, H, I, J, or K. Group L has England, Ghana, and Croatia fighting for supremacy.
Match 86: Argentina vs. TBD
Moving to the lower right quadrant for match 86, Argentina, who came through Group J, is set to play against the second-place team from Group H. More details on Group H will emerge soon.
Match 88: Australia vs. TBD
In Game 88, Australia has already marked its place as the second-place team in Group D. They’ll be going up against the second-place team from Group G, which could be any of the four contenders: Egypt, Iran, Belgium, or New Zealand.
Match 85: Switzerland vs. TBD
Finally, Switzerland is heading to the Round of 32 as the Group B winners. They will take on the third-place teams from Groups E, F, G, I, and J.
The last game of the Round of 32 will feature the Group K winner against the third-place team from Groups D, E, I, J, or L. Colombia and Portugal are still competing for the top spot in Group K, which will wrap up soon.
Potential Round of 16 Matches
Let’s circle back to that top left quadrant and consider what the Round of 16 could look like.
Round 89 will match the winner of Match 74 against the winner of Match 77. Germany will meet a third-place team from Groups A, B, C, D, or F in Round 74, but the second match of Round 77 is yet to be determined, pitting the top team from Group I against the third-place team from Group C, D, F, G, or H.
In match 90, expect the winner of Match 73—South Africa against Canada—to then face the victor of Match 75, where the Netherlands will battle Morocco.
Shifting to the bottom left quadrant, match 93 will see the winner of Match 83 take on the winner of Match 84; one will feature the second-place team from Group K against the second from Group L, while the other will have Group H’s winner against the second-place team from Group J.
The last left-side game, match 94, will have the winner of Game 81 competing against the winner of Game 82, which has the United States going up against Bosnia and Herzegovina. That second match, game 82, might be between the top team from Group G and a third-place team from Groups A, E, H, I, or J. Egypt is currently leading Group G, but the situation is still fluid.
It’s conceivable that we could see a United States vs. Iran encounter in the Round of 16. Something to think about.
Now back to the right side of the bracket, match 91 will have the winner of match 76 facing off against the winner of match 78, where Brazil will face Japan, and the Ivory Coast will meet either France or Norway.
In the next match for the Round of 16, the winner of match 79 will fight the winner of match 80. Game 79 has Mexico competing against a third-place team from Group C, E, F, H, or I, while match 80 will see a Group L winner facing a third-place team from Group E, H, I, J, or K. Group L includes players from England, Ghana, and Croatia—those vying for third place.
In the lower right quadrant, match 95 will find the winner of match 86 facing off against the winner of match 88. That means Messi’s Argentina will take on the second-place team from Group H, while Australia battles a second-place contender from Group G, currently involving Egypt, Iran, Belgium, and New Zealand.
To top it all off, match 96 will conclude the Round of 16 with the winner of Match 85 against the winner of Match 87, where Switzerland faces a third-place team from Groups E, F, G, I, or J, and the winner of Group K matches up against a third-placed team from D, E, I, J, or L. Colombia and Portugal will settle their Group K contest on Saturday.
