Round of 32: A First in World Cup History
The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks the first time a Round of 32 stage has been included. With 48 teams in 12 groups, the expanded format requires an additional knockout round compared to the traditional 32-team tournament.
How 32 Teams Are Selected
From the 48 participating nations:
• 24 teams qualify automatically as group winners (12) and runners-up (12)
• 8 teams qualify as the best third-place finishers from the 12 groups
• Total: 32 teams enter the knockout phase
The Full Knockout Path
The 2026 knockout stage has 5 rounds instead of the traditional 4:
1. Round of 32 — 32 teams, 16 matches 2. Round of 16 — 16 teams, 8 matches 3. Quarter-finals — 8 teams, 4 matches 4. Semi-finals — 4 teams, 2 matches 5. Final — 2 teams, 1 match
There is also a third-place playoff between the semi-final losers.
Maximum Games for the Champion
The winning team plays at most 8 matches: 3 group stage games + 5 knockout rounds. This is one more than the 7-match maximum under the old 32-team format.
Round of 32 Matchups
Group winners face best third-place teams, while group runners-up face other runners-up or third-place teams. The exact bracket is determined by FIFA's pre-set pairing structure to ensure geographic and group separation where possible.
Impact on the Tournament
The additional round adds approximately one week to the schedule. However, it creates more high-stakes matches and gives more nations the experience of knockout football at a World Cup.