The knockout stage starts July 4, two days after the group stage ends. It runs to the final on July 19.
The first knockout round is a round of 32, which no previous World Cup has had. Before 2026, the group stage fed directly into a round of 16. The extra round exists because there are 48 teams instead of 32.
Round of 32: July 4 to 7. Round of 16: July 8 to 11. Quarter-finals: July 12 and 13. Semi-finals: July 15 and 16. Third-place play-off: July 18. Final: July 19, MetLife Stadium, New Jersey.
All knockout matches are single-leg. Level after 90 minutes means extra time. Level after extra time means penalties. There is no away goals rule.
The bracket does not reseed. Each team's side of the draw is fixed from the moment the group stage draw is made in December 2025. A team that finishes first in Group A knows exactly who they would face in each round if results go a certain way. This can create some odd situations where a team is technically better off finishing second in their group to get a more favourable knockout path, which is a consequence of the fixed bracket format rather than anything anyone planned for.
A team that makes it from the round of 32 to the final plays eight matches in total. A team knocked out in the round of 32 plays four.