2026 World Cup Bracket — The Knockout Run
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached the Quarterfinals, and the last eight is now under way. France are the first team through to the semifinals, easing past Morocco 2–0 in Boston in front of a huge travelling support. Still in the hunt alongside Les Bleus: Spain, Belgium, Norway, England, Argentina and Switzerland. From here, winners advance through the Semifinals (July 14–15) before the showpiece on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Quarterfinals: who has reached the semifinals?
The last eight is under way — and France are the first team into the semifinals, seeing off Morocco with a composed, professional display. Results will be added here as each Quarterfinal is played.
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Morocco0France 2, Morocco 0: Roared on by a vast travelling support in Boston, Les Bleus controlled the tie from start to finish and eased past a stubborn Morocco to book their place in the last four once again.
France Ride a Wave of Support Into the Semifinals
Boston felt like a home game. A sea of blue backed Les Bleus from the first whistle, and Les Bleus rewarded them with an assured 2–0 win over Morocco — Kylian Mbappé at the heart of it. It is, remarkably, yet another semifinal for a nation that has made the last four its natural habitat over the past decade.
The mood around the tournament is clear:
The support has been enormous, and so is the expectation. Among fans and pundits alike, France are the popular pick to beat Argentina should the two giants meet in the July 19 showpiece — a heavyweight clash the whole tournament is already dreaming of. First, though, both must keep winning. For the French, reaching this stage is becoming a habit; converting it into the trophy is the mission that remains.
How does the expanded tournament format compare to previous years?
The structural adjustments implemented for this cycle have completely rewritten the rules of tournament planning, map logistics, and path-to-victory tracking.
What it used to be
From 1998 through 2022, the tournament adhered to a strict 32-team architecture. Teams were sorted into 8 groups of 4. Only the top two squads from each group advanced, creating an immediate, clean last-16 knockout sheet. A total of 64 matches were played over roughly 31 days, and a finalist needed to play 7 matches to capture the trophy.
What it is now
The expansion brings 48 nations into the mix, divided across 12 groups of 4. While the top two teams from every group still earn an automatic ticket, they are joined by the 8 best third-place finishers. This design introduces an entirely new tier of single-elimination play: the Round of 32. The tournament volume swells to 104 total matches across 39 days, meaning the eventual champion must survive 8 high-stakes fixtures to lift the trophy.
The Quarterfinal picture: who is left?
France are through; three Quarterfinals remain. Here are the ties still to be played, with dates and host cities.
Spain
Belgium
Norway
England
Argentina
SwitzerlandWhat’s the remaining knockout timeline?
From the last 16 through the Final, here is how the remaining knockout calendar and its host cities line up:
| Round | Date Range | Locations |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | July 4 – Jul 7 | Dallas, Seattle, Atlanta, Vancouver |
| Quarterfinals | July 9 – Jul 11 | Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, Kansas City |
| Semifinals | July 14 – Jul 15 | Dallas, Atlanta |
| 3rd Place Match | July 18 | Miami Gardens |
| 🏆 World Cup Final | July 19 | MetLife Stadium (NJ) |
The road ends at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19, placing the Final in the New York metropolitan area for the single biggest sporting event on earth.
Quarterfinal storylines & tournament facts
With the Quarterfinals under way, a few compelling narratives — and some eye-catching numbers — are already defining this expanded edition of the competition.
Norway’s fairytale
Knocking out five-time winners Brazil is the shock of this tournament so far. A country far more famous for its winter sports has bulldozed into the Quarterfinals and suddenly finds itself among the favorites on a wide-open right side of this bracket.
France set the standard
A calm 2–0 over Morocco sends France into the semifinals yet again — a stage they now treat as home turf. Cheered on by a massive support, they look every inch the team to beat as the trophy edges closer.
A final everyone wants
If the bracket holds, France and Argentina could collide for the title — and most neutrals are backing Les Bleus to come out on top. Both must navigate tricky ties first, but the tournament is already dreaming of that showdown.
And a few fast facts worth knowing as the knockouts heat up:
- Biggest ever: 2026 is the first 48-team World Cup, expanding the field from 32 and adding a brand-new Round of 32 knockout round on the way to the title.
- Three nations, one tournament: This is the first men’s World Cup co-hosted by three countries — the United States, Canada and Mexico — stretching squads across thousands of miles of travel.
- Favorites falling: Brazil’s exit means at least one pre-tournament heavyweight is already gone — and all three host nations are out too, an extraordinary early exit for every home side.
- The finish line: The winner will be crowned on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, in front of more than 82,000 fans.
How can fans track their predictions interactively?
For fans looking to log active picks or analyze live outcome shifts, digital tools offer real-time mathematical adjustments:
Interactive Tracking
The ESPN Interactive Tracker allows fans to simulate paths to the final, automatically re-calculating potential paths based on who wins upcoming penalty shootouts or extra-time matches.
Official Pools
The FIFA Fan Challenge Portal lets fans compete in global leaderboard pools, tracking individual predictive accuracy against millions of global entries.