World Cup 2026 Bracket: Complete Knockout Results and Final Path

The 2026 FIFA World Cup bracket began with a Round of 32 after the tournament expanded to 48 teams. It ended on July 19, 2026, when Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time at New York New Jersey Stadium to win its second world title.

Results checked October 13, 2026. Scores and match numbers below follow FIFA's official knockout-stage results and final report.

The completed 2026 knockout bracket

Round of 32

Round of 16

Quarterfinals to final

Spain's route to the trophy

Spain entered the knockout phase against Austria, winning 3-0. It then eliminated Portugal 1-0, Belgium 2-1, and France 2-0 before meeting Argentina in the final. The title match stayed scoreless through normal time. FIFA's match report records Ferran Torres scoring the winner in the 106th minute.

The final result made Spain world champion for the second time, following its 2010 title. Argentina finished runner-up after entering the tournament as defending champion.

How the expanded bracket worked

The 48-team field produced 12 groups. The top two teams from each group advanced, joined by the eight best third-place teams, creating a 32-team knockout field. From that point, every match was single elimination. Level matches proceeded to extra time and, if still tied, penalties.

This structure added one knockout round compared with the previous 32-team format. A finalist could therefore play eight matches across the tournament rather than seven.

For the group-stage route into this bracket, see the 2026 World Cup groups and standings. For dates, venues, and broader tournament context, use the complete World Cup 2026 guide.

How to read penalty and extra-time results

“AET” means the winning score was settled after extra time. A penalty shootout does not change the match score for statistical purposes; the shootout result is listed separately. For example, Switzerland and Colombia drew 0-0, with Switzerland advancing 4-3 on penalties.

The third-place result, England 6-4 France, was a regulation match score according to FIFA's official bracket page, not a shootout notation.

Using the bracket as an archive

The tournament is complete, so confirmed results take precedence over earlier predictions. Check match numbers and scores against FIFA; fan-made printable PDFs and images are unofficial references.

Trace the champion’s route round by round and distinguish match scores from penalty shootouts. All fixtures were completed by July 19.

Bottom line

Spain won the 2026 World Cup by beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time. The expanded tournament's first Round-of-32 bracket produced 32 knockout matches from Match 73 through Match 104, including four shootouts—Matches 74, 75, 88, and 96—and several extra-time results.

The bracket is now a completed historical record. FIFA's knockout page should remain the authoritative reference; trackers and printable templates are useful only when they reproduce that record accurately.