Sri Lanka, June 25 -- The FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage is beginning to take shape as teams battle for a place in the newly expanded Round of 32. With the tournament featuring 48 nations for the first time, qualification has become more competitive, as the top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed finishers advance.
Here's everything you need to know about the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage, including the qualification format, tiebreaker rules, qualified teams, and nations that have already been eliminated.
How does qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage work?
The expanded World Cup format features 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group automatically qualify for the Round ...