The knockout bracket for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is beginning to take shape, with the tournament expanded to 48 teams for the first time, introducing a round of 32.

The top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the knockout stage, which runs from June 28 to July 3.

Subsequent rounds include the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, a third-place playoff, and the final on July 19.

For the first time at a World Cup, FIFA is using head-to-head results as the primary tiebreaker for teams level on points, followed by goal difference and other criteria if needed.

So far, Mexico (Group A), the United States (Group D), and Germany (Group E) have qualified. Mexico beat South Korea 1-0, the US defeated Australia 2-0, and Germany overcame Ivory Coast 2-1.

Haiti (Group C) and Turkey (Group D) have been eliminated. Haiti lost 0-3 to Brazil, while Turkey fell 0-1 to Paraguay.

Source: www.aljazeera.com