Full World Cup brackets for knockout rounds: England begin vs DR Congo | OneFootball

The 2026 World Cup has its knockout stage participants with the final qualified teams securing passage to the Round of 32 on Saturday evening.

The expanded 48-team tournament features a last-32 stage for the first time, and the remaining teams can now plot their route to theWorld Cup final.

England will face DR Congo in their first knockout clash, and are on course to meet world champions Argentina and five-time winners Brazil on route to the final.

However, the Three Lions cannot meetFrance, Germany, Spain, Portugal, or the Netherlands until the final, in what looks the trickier side of the draw.

FIFA World Cup 2026 brackets for knockout rounds

One side of the draw features European champions Spain, back-to-back World Cup finalists France, and a host of other elite nations including Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands. Co-hosts USA and Canada are also on this side.

The other side of the draw features England, who won Group L and next face DR Congo in the last 32. The Three Lions could face co-hosts Mexico or Ecuador in the last 16. Looking further ahead, Brazil, Japan, Ivory Coast or Norway await in the quarter-finals, before a potential semi-final showdown with one of Argentina, Cape Verde, Australia, Egypt, Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia, orgroup-stage opponents Ghana.