2026 FIFA World Cup knockout bracket set, teams know quarter‑final routes

The fixed knockout tree for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been published, confirming that there will be no further draws or reseeding after the round of 16. Each winner of a round‑of‑16 match now has a predetermined slot in the quarter‑finals, allowing teams to see their potential path to the final at MetLife Stadium.

Sweden’s route, for example, would pit a French‑Swedish winner against the victor of the Germany‑Paraguay match. Other groupings include the North‑America/Africa path (South Africa vs Canada winner meets Netherlands vs Morocco winner) and the Europe‑central path (Portugal vs Croatia winner meets Spain vs Austria winner). The bracket also outlines matchups for England, Argentina, Brazil and many other nations, giving fans an early look at possible heavyweight clashes.

The release provides fans and analysts with concrete scenarios for quarter‑final, semi‑final and final pairings, marking the first time the tournament’s knockout stage has been locked in ahead of the group phase.