© <p>Ravi Natarajan / Getty Images</p>
The knockout bracket in the FIFA World Cup 2026 is starting to take shape.
It begins with the round of 32, which runs from June 28 to July 3.
What is the format and criteria for qualification, and which teams have progressed or been eliminated?
The top two teams in each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-place finishers, advance to knockouts.
The knockout phase begins with the round of 32, introduced for the first time at a World Cup after the expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams.
Then comes the round of 16, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and a playoff for third place. The final is on July 19.
The stage-wise breakdown of the tournament’s schedule is:
Fifa is using head-to-head records instead of goal difference as the primary tiebreaker for teams level on points for the first time at a World Cup.
Haiti and Turkiye have been eliminated because they are unable to catch the third-placed teams in their respective groups because of they lost to those teams.
According to FIFA’s rules for the tournament, if two or more teams in the same group are equal on points after the group stage ends, the following criteria, in the order below, will be applied to determine the ranking:
Step one
If the teams are still tied, the criteria below applies:
Step two
If the teams somehow still cannot be separated, then the following criteria below applies:
Step three
The eight best teams among those ranked third will be determined as follows:
(As of June 20, 07:00 GMT)
⚽️ Mexico (Group A)
The cohosts were the first to qualify for the knockouts, after taking top spot in Group A with a 1-0 win over South Korea on Thursday, June 18. The Mexicans started their campaign with a 2-0 win over South Africa in a chaotic tournament opener.
⚽️ USA (Group D)
The United States were the second team to punch their ticket to the knockouts, thanks to their 2-0 win over Australia in Group D on Friday, June 19. The USA thumped Paraguay 4-1 to kick off their campaign.
⚽️ Haiti (Group C)
Haiti became the first team to be sent home packing from the World Cup after suffering a 3-0 loss to Brazil on Friday, June 19. Playing in their first tournament since 1974, they also lost 1-0 to Scotland in their first game.
⚽️ Turkiye (Group D)
Turkiye soon followed suit, bowing out of the tournament after a 1-0 defeat to 10-man Paraguay later on Friday. They also suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Australia in the first group match – their first appearance at the tournament after 24 years.
Who: Germany vs Ivory Coast
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E match
Where: Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada
When: Saturday, 4pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: Keep up with all updates on Al Jazeera Sport
One of the most mouthwatering matches in the second round of games in the World Cup 2026 group stage sees four-time champions Germany facing a talented Ivory Coast outfit in Toronto on Saturday evening.
Both sides made a winning start to their Group E campaign, in very different ways, as Die Mannschaft overcame an early scare against Curacao to romp to a 7-1 win, while The Elephants eventually pipped Ecuador 1-0 with a last-gasp goal, after the South Americans had hit the woodwork three times.
After disappointing group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022, Germany came into this tournament somewhat under the radar, with the perennial powerhouse ranked only seventh-favourites to lift their fifth World Cup.
While they turned on the style thanks to young stars like Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz to pile on the goals against Curacao – the smallest nation by size and population ever to have taken part in a World Cup – and the goals have flowed in 10 straight wins, this will be a far stiffer test.
Curacao caused the German defence a few problems, especially in the opening half-hour, and it’s their pivotal central-defensive pairing of Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck, playing in front of 40-year-old keeper Manuel Neuer, that will ultimately decide how deep the Germans can go in this tournament.
Dynamic Arsenal attacking midfielder Kai Havertz continued his recent goalscoring run for club and country with a double for Germany in the opening game, but he will likely find the Ivory Coast defence a harder challenge than that posed by Curacao’s backline.
By winning their group opener, Germany did what they couldn’t in 2018 and 2022 and appear certain to progress to a first knockout match since the 2014 World Cup Final. Whether they advance as group winners, or limp through in the minor places, might well come down to the result in Toronto.
A win against Ivory Coast would secure direct top-two qualification to the Round of 32 and would likely be enough to top Group E should Ecuador fail to beat Curacao four hours later in Kansas City.
In an alternate scenario, even with a German victory against Ivory Coast, Ecuador – if they can beat both Curacao and then the Germans in Thursday’s group finale – would make things very interesting, with the potential for three teams – Germany, Ivory Coast and Ecuador – to be locked on six points and tiebreakers needed to separate them.
It matters because the team finishing first will play a third-placed qualifier, while the runner-up will face the team finishing second in the group featuring France, Norway, Senegal and Iraq, and the team qualifying third would face a group winner, potentially England or Mexico.
Matchday 4 ✔️#FIFAWorldCup
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 15, 2026
The Elephants might have ridden their luck, but ending Ecuador’s 19-match unbeaten streak across nearly two years in their opening game caught the eye of their fan base and will have raised expectations.
Amad Diallo’s last-minute winner ensured Ivory Coast have now won a game at all four World Cups for which they have qualified, and they can reach the knockout stages for the first time, if they defeat Germany.
In fact, they can seal top spot in Group E should they beat Die Mannschaft and Ecuador fail to beat Curacao in the other group game later on Saturday evening.
A draw against Germany would make for an intriguing group finale on Thursday night, as it would likely leave all three teams in with a chance of finishing first going into the final game, with Ivory Coast potentially needing to beat Curacao by more than six goals to ensure supremacy on goal difference.
Germany, Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Curacao are in Group E.
They will play each other once in the initial stage of the tournament. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups – along with the eight best third-placed teams – will proceed to the next phase, the round of 32, which has been introduced at the World Cup for the first time.
This will be just the second meeting between Germany and Ivory Coast.
The previous game was a friendly in November 2009, which saw Lukas Podolski score twice, including a last-gasp equaliser in a 2-2 draw.
(Last five games, latest match first)
Germany: W-W-W-W-W
Ivory Coast: W-W-W-W-L
Germany’s thumping win over Curacao last Sunday means they have won 10 straight games going back to September 2025 and have scored two or more goals in nine of those matches.
They have, however, struggled at the opposite end of the pitch, conceding goals in seven straight World Cup matches, their longest run since 1970, and their last clean sheet came in the 2014 final against Argentina in Brazil.
Ivory Coast go in search of a fifth straight victory, and confidence is high after both the Ecuador triumph last Sunday, which followed their 2-1 win against world number-three France in their final warm-up game in Paris on June 4.
Their last defeat came in the AFCON quarterfinal against Egypt in January.
5 - Last night for @equipenatciv vs Ecuador, Yan Diomande became the first player Opta has on record since 1966 to create 5+ chances (5), make 5+ tackles (5), win 10+ duels (11) and have 10+ touches in the opposition’s box (12) in a FIFA World Cup match.
🇨🇮 Star. pic.twitter.com/F98Hg8NvV1
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 15, 2026
Coach Julian Nagelsmann might well keep faith with the same XI that eventually put Curacao to the sword, but if he does, it might be tough on Deniz Undav.
The Stuttgart forward came off the bench to replace Jamal Musiala with 26 minutes to go and scored and provided two assists as Germany picked up their biggest win since the 2014 semifinal against Brazil. The versatile Undav has scored seven times and added four assists in just 10 appearances for Die Mannschaft.
Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae likely has more decisions to make.
Elye Wahi started the win over Ecuador up front before being replaced just before the hour by Ange-Yoan Bonny.
He was initially denied entry into Canada for this match due to visa complications. He was linked to a sports betting scandal while playing for Nice in Ligue 1 last month, but has since been authorised to travel and could yet be involved.
Bonny and unused subs from the first game, Oumar Diakite and Evann Guessand, are alternative options in attack.
Diallo came off the bench to win it, and the Manchester United attacking midfielder will be pushing to start, which might mean a switch of flanks for teenage starlet Yan Diomande, who stole the show on the right against Ecuador and will be eager to put on a show against the nation in which he plays for RB Leipzig.
Neuer (goalkeeper); Kimmich, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Brown; Pavlovic, Nmecha; Sane, Musiala, Wirtz; Havertz.
Y. Fofana (goalkeeper); Doue, Singo, Agbadou, Konan; Diallo, Kessie, S. Fofana, Diomande; Bonny, Toure.
You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated FIFA World Cup 2026 page with all the latest news, match build-up and live text commentary and keep up to date with group standings, real-time match results and schedules.
Iran’s 2026 World Cup team will lodge a complaint with FIFA claiming they are being subjected to travel restrictions during the tournament in North America, the Iranian football federation spokesperson said on Thursday.
“Despite having submitted its preparation schedule for the tournament well in advance, Iran’s national football team has once again encountered restrictions imposed by the organisers, affecting the implementation of its technical staff’s plans,” the spokesperson said, according to AFP news agency.
Iran wanted to fly from their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, to the United States two days before their next group match against Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday. But the Iranian federation claims its request was turned down.
“Given that the game will be played at 12pm local time in Los Angeles, the football federation of Iran requested that the team be allowed to travel to Los Angeles two days before the match,” the spokesman said.
“The aim was to provide sufficient time for players to adapt to the match conditions, complete their final training session, and finalise preparations.
“Despite the technical reasons presented by the federation, the request was once again denied.”
After Iran’s first World Cup game on Monday – in which they drew 2-2 with New Zealand in a politically charged encounter – US officials said that the team will have to leave the country within hours of the full-time whistle at their World Cup group games in Los Angeles and Seattle.
The response from the World Cup 2026 cohost nation came on Tuesday following criticism of its handling of the Iranian team’s visas and stay in the US after their first game.
The Iranian delegation left the US hours after the match in LA ended at about 8pm local time (03:00 GMT) and returned to their base camp in Mexico, prompting criticism of the US handling of their visas, as the team did not get a day to recover at their hotel.
The US administration has pushed back against the Iranian claims.
Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said on Monday that Iran had been informed in advance that they would be allowed to come into the US only on the day before the game.
“The team will be allowed to come in, match day minus one, so the day before the match,” Giuliani told CBS News.
“They’ll be asked to leave the day that the match wraps up, so the evening of the match. And they’ll be able to do that again in Los Angeles.”
He added that the procedure would be the same for Iran’s final group game against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
Iran, who are in Group G, kicked off their campaign this week in North America after months of uncertainty over the team’s participation in the World Cup amid the US-Israel war on Iran.
© <p>Sean Mandegar / Getty Images</p>
New Yorkers celebrated the Knicks' championship on nearly every available surface along the parade route in Lower Manhattan.
Climbing on delivery trucks, hanging off lampposts, standing on the roofs of newsstands, clinging to the concrete pillars of City Hall, and filling up courtyards and sidewalks, thousands of exuberant fans packed streets to party.
The parade on Thursday was the culmination of weeks of electric energy across the city that grew during the Knicks NBA Finals run - the excitement finally bubbling over when the team won the championship on Saturday for the first time in 53 years.
"The vibes are absolutely amazing. This is just unreal," said parade-goer and 19-year-old college student Daniel Nemesure.
Streams of Knicks fans flooded up the steps from City Hall train station, spilling out into a large street-side courtyard already undulating from the massive pool of people.
With a drum line beating in the distance, everyone here had their eyes excitedly turned toward the cordoned-off street as they awaited the Knicks parade floats - and the possibility of catching a glimpse of their favourite players.
The throngs of people appeared to come from nearly every walk of life, but all had one thing in common: their blue and orange Knicks gear, and a love of New York City.
Parade-goers told the BBC they were thrilled to be part of the festivities - with many taking the day off from work.
"My boss is actually here too," said 29-year-old Devyn Lara, laughing.
"For everyone to come together for a team... was just really special."
After the Knicks won game five of the Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday - clinching the title - everyone was hugging and celebrating, Lara said.
"Seeing pictures of people kissing, it honestly felt like the end of World War II."
A number of people at the parade remarked on how unified the often abrasive city has felt since the Finals began, and especially on Thursday.
"Just being here - everyone is wearing their Knicks hat, their Knicks merchandise. The city kind of feels united after so long," said Mallika Singh, a 19-year-old college student.
Singh said it's been incredible to see a team that her family has loved and watched since she was born finally win after so many decades of losses. Singh woke up at 04:00 local time (09:00 BST) and got on a 05:00 train into the city from Connecticut on Thursday morning to be there.
With her friends, Singh had been bopping around the parade route for hours, since around 06:00, she told the BBC.
"The city is so electric... Everyone's just really happy to be here," she added.
"There's a unity about it," echoed Eric, a native New Yorker who lives in Harlem. "The Knicks have brought the city together."
"Even during the whole playoff run, the city's been magnetic, energetic. Everywhere you go, people are wearing Knicks shirts," added Eric's companion, Angeline.
Travelling along the Canyon of Heroes - the famed route of New York City's ticker-tape parades - the parade moved from Lower Manhattan up to City Hall.
Knicks players, including Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, waved to crowds penned in by police on the sidelines, as confetti rained down on the rivers of blue-and-orange. Celebrities also took part, including Knicks game regulars Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller and Mariska Hargitay.
The procession concluded at City Hall with a ceremony honouring the team, featuring speeches from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Knicks head coach Mike Brown, Knicks owner Jim Dolan, and others.
"So often, when this city comes together, it is because we are forced to by a moment of tragedy or adversity," Mamdani told the crowd. "What a gift it is to be brought together by pure, unfiltered joy."
Several parade-goers said the Knicks' run has made New Yorkers friendlier.
"I see people holding the doors open for each other, just being genuinely nice to each other. I don't think New York's been this united ever," said Nemesure.
"The city's been so different than it normally is," his friend Yashas Balguri, 19, also a college student, added. "Jalen Brunson really brought everyone together this year."
The effects of the parade could be felt more than 100 blocks away uptown, as passengers in Knicks jerseys filled subways and a conductor announced trains were delayed over congestion caused by the festivities miles away.
"For as long as we live, we will remember this feeling of a city together, a city alive, a city overcome by happiness," Mayor Mamdani said during his parade speech.
South Africa scored a penalty seven minutes from full-time as they fought back to draw 1-1 with the Czech Republic at the World Cup after falling behind early in the Group A clash.
Teboho Mokoena slotted home the spot kick after Pavel Sulc’s handball handed the South Africans a lifeline on Thursday as they were staring at potential early elimination.
The Czechs led from the sixth minute when Michal Sadilek struck home after a clever slipped pass from Alexandr Sojka following Adam Hlozek’s delivery from the right wing.
Both teams now have a point after losing their respective opening games – two behind cohosts Mexico and South Korea, who face-off later on Thursday.
South Africa next face South Korea, while the Czech Republic take on the daunting task of playing Mexico in the Estadio Azteca.
Both sides started with disappointing performances and defeats on the World Cup’s opening day, but the Czechs quickly set about making amends.
Patrik Schick is the biggest name in a Czech side lacking the star quality of previous generations but the Bayer Leverkusen forward missed a glorious chance inside the first minute when he planted a header wide.
Miroslav Koubek’s men only had to wait another five minutes to take the lead.
Adam Hlozek’s cross was classily cushioned by Alexandr Sojka into the path of Sadilek, who calmly stroked the ball past Ronwen Williams.
Now in their fourth attempt, South Africa have never progressed beyond the group stage at the World Cup.
Hugo Broos has overseen an upturn in Bafana Bafana’s fortunes since taking charge five years ago.
The 2010 hosts had not qualified for the World Cup since 2002 but finished third at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Their return to the global stage has exposed a lack of quality, though, particularly in forward areas.
The Czechs were left to rue not making more of their chances to kill the game off early in the second half.
Vladimir Darida took too long to get his shot off with a big chance before Lukas Cerv’s long-range effort was tipped over by Williams.
There were thousands of empty seats on show at the futuristic home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, but those that were in attendance loudly booed the mid-half hydration breaks in an enclosed and air-conditioned stadium.
The majority of the crowd were backing South Africa and finally had something to cheer seven minutes from time.
Thapelo Maseko’s shot hit the arm of the unfortunate Pavel Sulc and referee Tori Penso, part of an all-female officiating team, pointed to the spot.
Mokoena confidently drilled home the spot-kick for his nation’s first World Cup goal in 16 years.
They came close to a second five minutes later when Matej Kovar saved from Relebohile Mofokeng.
But both sides had to settle for a point that could yet prove vital come the end of Wednesday’s final Group A games.
A first-ever hat-trick for Lionel Messi, heavyweights Spain stunned by tiny Cape Verde, and DR Congo silencing Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal.
What more could you ask from the opening week of a FIFA World Cup?
After the first round of group matches, here are our top 10 takeaways:
Before the tournament kicked off in North America, many thought Lionel Messi would be gearing himself up for his final act. But after his first-ever World Cup hat-trick – one that also matched the record for most World Cup goals – Messi has reminded us his story is not over just yet.
While the Messi mania dominated headlines over recent days, his longtime rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, also made the news, albeit for the wrong reasons. “Is he past his prime?” was the collective question of viewers after his mostly anonymous display in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with DR Congo on Wednesday.
Becoming France’s all-time leading scorer always seemed a matter of when, not if, for Kylian Mbappe, and achieving the feat in their opening World Cup match was further proof of his extraordinary talent. The 27-year-old, now just two shy of matching the all-time haul for most World Cup goals, is making a habit of chasing records.
Long-range rockets, tap-ins, headers and more. There was no shortage of goals, and Argentinian legend Messi is the outright leader with three strikes. As many as seven players – including England’s Harry Kane, Norway’s Erling Haaland and France’s Mbappe – are tied for the second spot with two goals each.
This is, by far, the upset of the tournament. Spain – the absolute frontrunners for the World Cup – stumbled at their first hurdle, being held to a shock goalless draw by Cape Verde, the archipelago west of the African continent of about half a million people, and whose team sits 65 places below the World No 2 in the FIFA world rankings.
Yoane Wissa‘s first-ever goal, DR Congo’s first at a World Cup, sparked joy among millions from Kinshasa to Niangara. And for the other teams competing in the tournament, the 1-1 draw with No 5-ranked Portugal sent a warning that the underdogs are out to challenge some of football’s best sides, especially when the world is watching.
The 7-1 thrashing by Germany did little to dampen the spirit of Curacao fans, many of whom made the journey to the United States. For the Caribbean tiny island – the smallest-ever country to play at a World Cup – defeat meant nothing in comparison to the happiness of seeing one of their own score at the sport’s biggest stage. Livano Comenencia is a hero for all of Curacao.
Pink seems to be the colour of the month, well, at least at the World Cup. Several players were seen wearing the vibrant, monochromatic boots – or cleats, as Americans would say – regardless of the manufacturer. Be it Nike, Adidas or Puma, sportswear giants have joined this trend of making their boots “electric fuchsia”.
It’s safe to say a World Cup is the biggest celebration of football. And some countries just do it better than others.
With their green-and-yellow shirts, flags and pounding drums, Brazil fans brought a slice of Rio to New York, while Moroccans later joined the party, the red smoke from the flares lighting up the World Cup mood. In Boston, Scotland’s famous Tartan Army chugged pint after pint, nearly draining some pubs of all their beer in the first weekend during their World Cup occupation of the city.
To best sum up the football craze in tournament co-host Mexico, the fandom is not limited to humans. A domesticated duck named Merlin, sporting a miniature Mexico shirt and custom duck socks, has waddled his way into the hearts of many, becoming an unlikely unofficial mascot for the country’s World Cup campaign.
© Mélanie Jean/Courtesy of Québec City Tourism
© <p>Mike Seehagel/Pursuit</p>
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