2026 FIFA World Cup Bracket: Printable & Current Format

Here you get the FIFA World Cup 2026 Bracket. Find the updated scenarios of both bracket sides, current format, how it works and all 12 confirmed groups with teams. You can also download the Blank FIFA World Cup Bracket in PDF, image and printable versions here.

2026 World Cup Bracket – Latest Update

The draw is done. All 12 groups are now confirmed after the December 5, 2025 draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

Six playoff spots are still open. UEFA and Intercontinental playoffs in March 2026 will decide the final six teams. This page updates the moment those results are in.

FIFA also confirmed that Spain and Argentina sit on opposite sides of the bracket. France and England are separated too. That means all four can only meet in the semifinals or the final.

Printable FIFA World Cup Bracket 2026

You can download the knockout stage Printable and Blank Bracket for FIFA World Cup 2026 from below:

What is the 2026 FIFA World Cup Format?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the biggest in history. For the first time 48 nations will compete. The tournament runs across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It is the first World Cup co-hosted by three countries and the first World Cup back in North America since 1994.

Here are the key numbers at a glance:

• Total teams: 48
• Total groups: 12
• Total matches: 104
• Group stage matches: 72
• New round added: Round of 32
• Matches to win the title: 8
• Tournament length: 39 days
• Opening match: June 11, 2026
• Final date: July 19, 2026
• Final venue: MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

All 12 Groups and Confirmed Teams

Here is the complete list of all 12 groups after the official December 2025 draw:

Groups	Teams
Group A	Mexico (Host), South Korea, South Africa, UEFA Playoff D Winner
Group B	Canada (Host), Switzerland, Qatar, UEFA Playoff A Winner
Group C	Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Group D	United States (Host), Paraguay, Australia, UEFA Playoff C Winner
Group E	Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
Group F	Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, UEFA Playoff B Winner
Group G	Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H	Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde
Group I	France, Senegal, Norway, Intercontinental Playoff Winner
Group J	Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K	Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Intercontinental Playoff Winner
Group L	England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

Note: Six spots are still open. Final teams confirm after March 2026 playoffs. This table will be updated once results are in.

Round-by-Round Schedule and Dates

Here is each round and its dates:

• Group Stage: June 11 to 27, 2026
• Round of 32: June 28 to July 3, 2026
• Round of 16: July 4 to 7, 2026
• Quarterfinals: July 9 to 11, 2026
• Semifinals: July 14 to 15, 2026
• Third-Place Match: July 18, 2026
• World Cup Final: July 19, 2026

Also Check:

• FIFA World Cup full Schedule
• How to Watch World Cup 2026

How Does the FIFA World Cup Bracket Work?

The 2026 bracket works differently from every World Cup before it. Here is how teams move through each round from start to finish.

Group Stage

The 48 teams split into 12 groups of 4. Each team plays 3 matches against the other teams in their group. That adds up to 72 total group stage matches. The top 2 teams from each group advance automatically. Then the 8 best third-placed teams from all 12 groups also move on. That fills the 32-team knockout bracket.

Tiebreakers go in this order: goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head results, fair play record then FIFA ranking.

Round of 32

This round has never existed at a World Cup before. All 32 teams that come through the group stage play straight single-elimination matches here. One loss and you go home. This round runs from June 28 to July 3 with 16 matches in six days. Group winners face runners-up from different groups. Teams from the same group cannot meet again at this stage.

Round of 16

Sixteen teams remain. Eight matches decide who reaches the quarterfinals. One bad game and your tournament ends.

Quarterfinals

Eight teams play four matches from July 9 to 11. The four winners reach the semifinals. Every team at this point is a serious contender.

Semifinals

The last four teams play on July 14 and 15. Two teams advance to the final. The two losers meet in the third-place match.

Third-Place Match

Played on July 18, 2026. The two semifinal losers compete for the bronze medal.

World Cup Final

The last two teams face off on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The champion plays 8 total matches to lift the trophy. That is one more match than any previous World Cup winner ever played.

Who are the Favorites to Win the 2026 World Cup?

Spain enters as the top favorite. They won the 2024 UEFA European Championship and currently sit at number 1 in the FIFA world rankings with 1,877 points.

Argentina will try to defend their 2022 title. A back-to-back World Cup win would be historic. No team has done it since Brazil won in 1958 and 1962. Lionel Messi turns 39 during this tournament. This is almost certainly his last World Cup.

France sit third in the FIFA rankings with Kylian Mbappe leading the attack. Brazil arrive under head coach Carlo Ancelotti who took charge in May 2025. England and Portugal are also serious contenders.

The United States play all three group matches on home soil. Home support could push the USMNT further than ever before.

2026 World Cup Bracket FAQs