Which teams are in the World Cup round of 32, and what’s the schedule?

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkCape Verde players celebrate after the match as they qualified for the knockout stages of the World Cup [Maria Lysaker/Reuters]By Al Jazeera StaffPublished On 27 Jun 202627 Jun 2026The 48-team FIFA World Cup is nearing the end of the group stage matches and moving towards the knockout stages, beginning on Sunday.Only 32 teams will advance to the next round of football’s most prestigious tournament. The 2026 iteration in North America is the first time 48 teams have featured, and some debutants have already left their mark.Here’s what you need to know about the round of 32:Cape Verde players celebrate after the 0-0 draw during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match with Saudi Arabia at Houston Stadium on June 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas [Michael Steele/Getty Images/AFP]What is the format of the World Cup knockouts?The top two teams in each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-place finishers, advance to the knockouts.The knockout phase begins with the round of 32, introduced at the World Cup following the tournament’s expansion 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 knockout schedule is:Round of 32: June 28 to July 3Round of 16: July 4–7Quarterfinals: July 9–11Semifinals: July 14–15Bronze medal match: July 18Final: July 19South Africa players celebrate after the match at Estadio Monterrey, Mexico on June 24, 2026 [Daniel Becerril/Reuters]Which teams have qualified for the round of 32?So far, 26 teams have punched their ticket to the knockouts. They include:⚽️ Colombia⚽️ Argentina⚽️ France⚽️ Norway⚽️ Germany⚽️ USA⚽️ Mexico⚽️ Switzerland⚽️ Canada⚽️ Brazil⚽️ Morocco⚽️ South Africa⚽️ Ivory Coast⚽️ Bosnia and Herzegovina⚽️ Ecuador⚽️ Netherlands⚽️ Japan⚽️ Sweden⚽️ Australia⚽️ Spain⚽️ Cape Verde⚽️ Paraguay⚽️ Egypt⚽️ England⚽️ Ghana⚽️ PortugalFIFA World Cup 2026: Round of 32 full scheduleSunday, June 28 South Africa vs Canada, 12pm (19:00 GMT) — Los Angeles Stadium, USA Monday, June 29 Brazil vs Japan, 12pm (17:00 GMT) — Houston Stadium, USA Germany vs Paraguay, 4:30pm (20:30 GMT) — Boston Stadium, USA Netherlands vs Morocco, 7pm (01:00 GMT+1) — Estadio Monterrey, Mexico Tuesday, June 30 Ivory Coast vs Norway, 12pm (17:00 GMT) — Dallas Stadium, USA France vs Sweden, 5pm (22:00 GMT) — New York New Jersey Stadium, USA Mexico vs 3C/3E/3F/3H/3I, 7pm (02:00 GMT+1) — Mexico City Stadium, Mexico Wednesday, July 1 USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5pm (01:00 GMT+1) — San Francisco Stadium, USA 1L vs 3EHIJK, 12pm (16:00 GMT) — Atlanta Stadium, USA 1G vs 3AEHIJ, 1pm (20:00 GMT)— Seattle Stadium, USA Thursday, July 2 Spain vs 2J, 12pm (19:00 GMT) — Los Angeles Stadium, USA 2K vs 2L, 7pm (23:00 GMT) — Toronto Stadium, Canada Switzerland vs 3EFGIJ, 8pm (03:00 GMT+1) — Vancouver Stadium, Canada Friday, July 3 Australia vs 2G, 1pm (18:00 GMT) — Dallas Stadium, USA Argentina vs Cape Verde, 6pm (22:00 GMT) — Miami Stadium, USA 1K vs 3DEIJL, 8:30pm (01:30 GMT+1) — Kansas City Stadium, USA