World Cup bracket 2026: FIFA draw reveals path to soccer glory in USA

Todd Figaro December 05, 2025
World Cup bracket 2026: FIFA draw reveals path to soccer glory in USA

The expanded 2026World Cupwill be the biggest in history featuring48 countries– up from 32 – battling for soccer's ultimate prize in North America.

There are 12 groups of four teams, with each playing the others once in a round-robin. Three points are awarded for a win and one for a draw, with the top two teams advancing directly to the knockout stage. In the World Cup's new format, eight of the 12 group third-place winners also move on to the Round of 32.

The field is then whittled down again for the Round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals – with the World Cup final set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Here's the path to the World Cup final in 2026:

2026 FIFA World Cup bracket

Round of 32

  • Match 73: Runner-up Group A vs Runner-up Group B – Los Angeles

  • Match 74: Winner Group E vs Best 3rd place Group A/B/C/D/F – Boston

  • Match 75: Winner Group F vs Runner-up Group C – Guadalupe, Mexico

  • Match 76: Winner Group C vs Runner-up Group F – Houston

  • Match 77: Winner Group I vs Best 3rd place Group C/D/F/G/H – New York-New Jersey

  • Match 78: Runner-up Group E vs Runner-up Group I – Dallas

  • Match 79: Winner Group A vs Best 3rd place Group C/E/F/H/I – Mexico City

  • Match 80: Winner Group L vs Best 3rd place Group E/H/I/J/K – Atlanta

  • Match 81: Winner Group D vs Best 3rd place Group B/E/F/I/J – San Francisco-Bay Area

  • Match 82: Winner Group G vs Best 3rd place Group A/E/H/I/J – Seattle

  • Match 83: Runner-up Group K vs Runner-up Group L – Toronto

  • Match 84: Winner Group H vs Runner-up Group J – Los Angeles

  • Match 85: Winner Group B vs Best 3rd place Group E/F/G/I/J – Vancouver

  • Match 86: Winner Group J vs Runner-up Group H – Miami

  • Match 87: Winner Group K vs Best 3rd place Group D/E/I/J/L – Kansas City

  • Match 88: Runner-up Group D vs Runner-up Group G – Dallas

<p style=Brazil – 23rd appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=United States of America – 12th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Mexico – 18th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=England – 17th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Portugal – ninth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=France – 17th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Spain – 17th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Iran – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Switzerland – 13th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Croatia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Australia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Morocco – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Austria – eighth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Ecuador – fifth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Senegal – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=South Korea – 12th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Japan – eighth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Colombia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Netherlands – 12th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Germany – 21st appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Belgium – 15th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Canada – third appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Saudi Arabia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Uzbekistan – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Jordan – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Tunisia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=South Africa – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Ivory Coast – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Scotland – ninth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Algeria – fifth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=New Zealand – third appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Paraguay – ninth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Egypt – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Cape Verde – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Qatar – second appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Norway – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Panama – second appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Curacao – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Ghana – fifth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Haiti – second appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the field so far

Brazil– 23rd appearance

Round of 16

  • Match 74 winner vs. Match 77 winner – Philadelphia: Match 89

  • Match 73 winner vs. Match 75 winner – Houston: Match 90

  • Match 76 winner vs. Match 78 winner – New York-New Jersey: Match 91

  • Match 79 winner vs. Match 80 winner – Mexico City: Match 92

  • March 83 winner vs. Match 84 winner – Dallas: Match 93

  • Match 81 winner vs. Match 82 winner – Seattle: Match 94

  • Match 86 winner vs. Match 88 winner – Atlanta: Match 95

  • Match 85 winner vs. Match 87 winner – Vancouver: Match 96

Quarterfinals

  • Match 89 winner vs. Match 90 winner – Boston: Match 97

  • Match 93 winner vs. Match 94 winner – Los Angeles: Match 98

  • Match 91 winner vs March 92 winner – Miami: Match 99

  • Match 95 winner vs. Match 96 winner – Kansas City: Match 100

Semifinals

Winner 97 vs. Winner 98 – Dallas

Winner 99 vs. Winner 100 – Atlanta

Third place

  • July 18, 2026: Semifinal losers – Miami

2026 World Cup final

  • July 19, 2026: Semifinal winners at MetLife Stadium

SPAIN: Lamine Yamal. Still just a teenager, few players are as exciting with the ball at their feet as the 18-year-old Barcelona winger. He already has 23 caps for Spain, bursting onto the scene as 16-year-old sensation. ARGENTINA: Lionel Messi. This certainly is the last ride for the one of the greatest players to ever do it. He led La Albiceleste to World Cup glory in 2022 and is still defying Father Time at 38 years old (he'll turn 39 during the tournament). FRANCE: Desire Doue. Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise are the stars of France's attack, but don't forget the 20-year-old Doue, who is a key piece in Paris Saint-Germain's midfield. He's a tricky player who is constantly putting defenses under pressure. ENGLAND: Bukayo Saka. The 24-year-old Arsenal winger is already a well-known commodity. He's appeared more than 200 times for Arsenal and has 14 England goals already. His left foot is a wand cutting in off the right and he consistently puts defenders on their heels. GERMANY: Jamal Musiala. The 22-year-old Bayern Munich attacker is coming off a serious ankle injury suffered at July's FIFA Club World Cup. He should be go good to go this summer and his trickery and dribbling give the Germans an added dimension in midfield. BELGIUM: Jeremy Doku. This 23-year-old Manchester City winger is electric. He's among the best dribblers in the Premier League and is a nightmare when he's running at defenders with the ball at his feet. PORTUGAL: Cristiano Ronaldo. At 40 years old, he's still not slowing down. Ronaldo has scored 109 goals since moving to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia four years ago and has transferred that form to Portugal, with eight goals in nine games for the national team in 2025. JAPAN: Takefusa Kubo. The 24-year-old Real Sociedad right winger (ESP) will consistently run at defenders, putting opponents on their heels. He led Japan in goals+assists in qualifying (11) and will be key to Samurai Blue's attack. NORWAY: Erling Haaland. An unstoppable force, the 25-year-old striker led Norway to its first World Cup since 1998. He's a scoring machine with 55 goals in 48 games for Norway and is fast approaching 150 career goals for Manchester City in just over 160 games played. MOROCCO: Abde Ezzalzouli. A 23-year-old left winger who plays for Real Betis in Spain, gets goals and assists and isn't afraid to get stuck in. He scored in Morocco's 6-0 win over Egypt in the 2024 bronze medal game in the Paris Olympics. USA: Christian Pulisic. A lot falls on the shoulders of Captain America, and the 27-year-old winger has been building to this moment. He's played for some of Europe's biggest clubs (Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and now AC Milan) and has 32 goals in 82 caps for the US. ENGLAND: Phil Foden. The 25-year-old midfielder was named 2024 English Premier League Player of the Year, scoring 19 goals in Manchester CIty's title-winning season. He dropped off a bit last season, but is still one of the most creative players in the EPL. NETHERLANDS: Cody Gakpo. The 26-year-old Liverpool forward has already scored 19 goals for Holland in just 46 caps.Memphis Depay is still the focal point of the Dutch attack, but Gakpo provides plenty of skill and speed to open up defenses. ARGENTINA: Nico Paz. Part of La Albiceleste's next generation, the 21-year-old midfielder is off to a flier this season for Como in Italy's Serie A. He'll likely head back to Real Madrid next season and is the future midfield maestro for Argentina. SPAIN: Nico Williams. With Lamine Yamal on one side and Williams on the other, Spain's wingers give defenses sleepless nights. The 23-year-old Athletic Bilbao winger has six goals in 30 Spain caps and is electric with the ball at his feet. AUSTRALIA: Nestory Irankunda. Diminutive but dynamic, this 19-year-old forward has blistering pace, great dribbling ability and rocket for a shot. He had a brief spell with Bayern Munich's reserves, but now plays for Watford in The EFL Championship (England's second tier). CANADA: Tajon Buchanan. The 26-year-old winger has featured 57 times for Canada and is among its most dangerous attacking options. He's scored four times this season for Villareal in Spain. SWITZERLAND: Johan Manzambi. The 20-year-old midfielder who plays for Freiburg in Germany has eight caps for the Swiss team (all this year) and scored against the U.S. in a 4-0 win last June. SENEGAL: Ismaila Sarr. The 27-year-old winger has scored four goals in seven matches for the national team in 2025 and is a key part to the overachieving Crystal Palace team in England.

2026 World Cup: 20 players who will get you out of your seat

2026 World Cup schedule

  • Group stage: June 11-June 27

  • Round of 32: June 28-July 3

  • Round of 16: July 4-July 7

  • Quarterfinals: July 9-July 11

  • Semifinals: July 14-15 – AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas) and Mecedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)

  • Third-place match: July 18 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens

  • World Cup final: July 19 – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:World Cup bracket 2026: FIFA draw reveals path to soccer title in USA

Todd Figaro

Posted by Todd Figaro

Post a Comment

0 Comments