Thirty-two teams qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage.
The expanded tournament has 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams in each group advance automatically, producing 24 qualifiers. The eight best third-place teams complete the 32-team knockout field.
This creates a Round of 32 before the familiar round of 16. It is the first time a men's World Cup has used this stage, replacing the previous 32-team format in which 16 teams reached the knockout rounds directly from the group phase.
A common mix-up is confusing the 32 knockout-stage teams with the 48 teams that enter the World Cup. The number 24 refers only to the group runners-up and winners; eight third-place sides are also promoted. The format then requires five elimination rounds—Round of 32, round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and final—for the eventual champion.