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WORLD CUP
Men's World Cup

World Cup projected round of 32 matchups, live bracket for knockout stage

Portrait of Jordan Mendoza Jordan Mendoza
USA TODAY
Updated June 27, 2026, 1:16 a.m. ET

The 2026 World Cup group stage is coming to a close, and tickets are being punched into the round of 32.

The final matches in every group are underway, and with each result, teams are securing their spots in the knockout round thanks to top finishes in their respective groups. By qualifying for the next stage, teams then understand the path it will take to win the championships.

As the bracket puzzle is starting to take shape, there are still plenty of pieces that need to be figured out. The top two teams in every group are guaranteed to advance, but third place teams will have to hope they've done enough in order to make it to the knockout round since only eight will make it through. Who those lucky eight are can easily change with every result.

Who is in World Cup round of 32?

As of Saturday, June 27, 1:10 a.m. ET.

Projected World Cup round of 32 matchups

Teams in bold are confirmed to be in that spot in the bracket, while teams with asterisk have qualified but spot hasn't been determined. Placement of third place teams is based on live trackers from The Athletic, BBC and Sky Sports.

Projections are reflected of current group standings as of Saturday, June 27, 1:10 a.m. ET.

  • June 29: Germany (Group E winner) vs. Paraguay (Group D third place) - Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
  • June 30: France (Group I winner) vs. Sweden (Group F third place) - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
  • June 28: South Africa (Group A runner-up) vs. Canada (Group B runner-up) - SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
  • June 29: Netherlands (Group F winner) vs. Morocco (Group C runner-up) - Estadio Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico
  • July 2: Colombia* (Group K runner-up) vs. Ghana* (Group L runner-up) - Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada
  • July 2: Spain (Group H winner) vs. Algeria (Group J runner-up) - SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
  • July 1: United States (Group D winner) vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B third place) - Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara
  • July 1: Belgium (Group G winner) vs. South Korea (Group A third place) - Lumen Field, Seattle
  • June 29: Brazil (Group C winner) vs. Japan (Group F runner-up) - NRG Stadium, Houston
  • June 30: Ivory Coast (Group E runner-up) vs. Norway (Group I runner-up) - AT&T Stadium, Arlington
  • June 30: Mexico (Group A winner) vs. Ecuador* (Group E third place) - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
  • July 1: England* (Group L winner) vs. Senegal* (Group I third place) - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
  • July 3: Argentina (Group J winner) vs. Cape Verde (Group H runner-up) - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
  • July 3: Australia (Group D runner-up) vs. Egypt (Group G runner-up) - AT&T Stadium, Arlington
  • July 2: Switzerland (Group B winner) vs. Iran (Group G third place) - Vancouver Stadium, Vancouver, Canada
  • July 3: Portugal (Group K winner) vs. Croatia (Group L third place) - Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

World Cup third place team standings

Here is the current order of third place teams. The top eight advance to the knockout round. No third place team has been officially eliminated yet.

Standings as of Saturday, June 27, 1:10 a.m. ET. Teams with asterisk have one more group match remaining.

  1. Sweden: 1-1-1 (0) – 4 points (Group F) ADVANCED
  2. Ecuador: 1-1-1 (0) – 4 points (Group E) ADVANCED
  3. Bosnia and Herzegovina: 1-1-1 (-1) – 4 points (Group B) ADVANCED
  4. Paraguay: 1-1-1 (-2) – 4 points (Group D) ADVANCED
  5. Senegal: 1-0-2 (+2) – 3 points (Group I) ADVANCED
  6. Iran: 0-3-0 (0) – 3 points (Group G)
  7. Croatia*: 1-0-1 (-1) – 3 points (Group L)
  8. South Korea: 1-0-2 (-1) – 3 points (Group A)
  9. Algeria*: 1-0-1 (-2) – 3 points (Group J)
  10. Scotland: 1-0-2 (-3) – 3 points (Group C)
  11. Uruguay: 0-2-1 (-1) – 2 points (Group H) ELIMINATED
  12. Congo DR*: 0-1-1 (-1) – 1 point (Group K)
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