FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 complete schedule: Date, time in IST, venues & everything you need to know
The round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup 2026 will start on June 29. According to the format, the top two teams from each of 12 groups will directly make it to the round of 32 along with eight best third-placed nations.
The Round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup 2026 has almost taken shape as the penultimate round of group stage encounters concluded on Saturday across United States and Mexico. Out of the 48 nations who started the tournament, 32 advanced to knockouts, including debutants Cabo Varde.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal played a draw 0-0 draw against Colombia to finish second in Group K while Croatia trounced Ghana to take the second spot in Group L, headed by England, who defeated Panama.
DR Congo, who are playing at a World Cup after more than five decades, have also progressed to the round of 32 after beating Uzbekistan in their final group-stage encounter.
The highlight of the FIFA World Cup 2026 so far has been the rise of debutants Cabo Verde, who became the first team after Chile in 1998, to qualify for the knockouts with three draws in group stages. Cabo Verde drew against heavyweights Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Cabo Verde will write another chapter in history as they will be taking on Lionel Messi's Argentina in the round of 32. Egpyt also made their knockouts entry for the first time in the history of the tournament. Uruguay's group stage exit is one of the major sad stories in this edition.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 full schedule
| Date | Round of 32 Match | Time (IST) | Venue |
| June 29 | South Africa vs Canada | 12:30 AM | Los Angeles |
| June 29 | Brazil vs Japan | 10:30 PM | Houston |
| June 30 | Germany vs Paraguay | 2:00 AM | Foxborough |
| June 30 | Netherlands vs Morocco | 6:30 AM | Guadalajara |
| June 30 | Cote d’Ivoire vs Norway | 10.30 PM | Arlington |
| July 1 | France vs Sweden | 2:30 AM | New Jersey |
| July 1 | Mexico vs Ecuador | 6:30 AM | Mexico City |
| July 1 | England vs Congo DR | 9:30 PM | Atlanta |
| July 2 | Belgium vs Senegal | 1.30 AM | Seattle |
| July 2 | United States vs Bosnia-Herzegovina | 5.30 AM | Santa Clara |
| July 3 | Spain vs Austria | 12:30 AM | Los Angeles |
| July 3 | Portugal vs Croatia | 4:30 AM | Toronto |
| July 3 | Switzerland vs Algeria | 8:30 AM | Vancouver |
| July 3 | Australia vs Egypt | 11:30 PM | Arlington |
| July 4 | Argentina vs Cape Verde | 3.30 AM | Miami |
| July 4 | Colombia vs Ghana | 7:00 AM | Kansas City |
Who's playing whom in round of 32?
Following their win over Panama, England were pitted against DR Congo while Portugal have a tough opponent against 2018 finalists Croatia. Five-time champions Brazil will be facing Asian giants Japan for a place in the pre-quarterfinals. A Senegalese test awaits Belgium.
Netherlands will face Morocco test, while Germany will have Paraguay to beat in the round of 32. Spain take on Austria. Interestingly, all the host nations have made it to the knockouts. Canada take on South Africa in the first match of the knockouts, while the USA face Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Mexico take on Ecuador, who defeated 2014 champions Germany to punch through. The winners of the round of 32 matches will further progress to the round of 16, and then to quarterfinals, semifinals and final.
Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.
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Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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