2026 World Cup knockout phase cuts daily games as quarterfinal schedule released

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, expanding to 48 teams and 104 matches, moves into a knockout stage that reduces the number of matches played each day. After the group phase, the tournament shifts to single‑elimination rounds, beginning with a new round of 32 before the round of 16, and culminating in the final on 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. This format results in fewer daily fixtures and places greater physical and logistical demands on teams traveling across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The quarter‑finals will resume on 9 July with France vs Morocco, followed by Spain vs Belgium on 10 July, and Norway vs England and Argentina vs Switzerland on 11 July. Notably, the Croatia‑Portugal round‑of‑16 match was decided by an automatic offside detection system embedded in the Trionda ball, highlighting the increasing role of semiconductor chips and high‑frequency data transmission in match officiating.