The group stage is done, the bracket is locked, and the knockouts begin today, June 28. Yesterday the last cliffhangers resolved: Croatia survived, beat Ghana 2-1, and took 2nd in Group L. Cape Verde held on as the smallest nation ever to reach a men's World Cup knockout — that story is already told. The cruelest line of the day belongs somewhere else.
Iran finished 3rd unbeaten and still went home
Iran ended the group stage without losing a match. Three draws, three points, goal difference of zero. They still flew home.
The new 48-team format gave Iran a cushion, then took it away. Eight third-place teams advance to the Round of 32; Iran finished as the ninth. On the final day, all three remaining groups left a four-point third — Algeria in Group J, DR Congo in Group K, Ghana in Group L. That pushed the number of four-point thirds to seven, enough to fill all but one knockout spot. The last spot went to Senegal, whose +2 goal difference — built on a 5-0 win over Iraq — edged Iran's zero among the three-point teams. Iran finished unbeaten and a place short. South Korea, Scotland and Uruguay went home as the other eliminated thirds.
The full Round of 32
Here is the whole bracket — 16 ties, June 28 to July 3, every kickoff time in ET. The graphic below carries all 16; the must-watch ties are picked out after it.
Sunday June 28: South Africa vs Canada, the curtain-raiser in Los Angeles.
Monday June 29: Brazil vs Japan in Houston; Germany vs Paraguay in Foxborough; Netherlands vs Morocco in Monterrey.
Tuesday June 30: Ivory Coast vs Norway in Dallas; France vs Sweden in New Jersey; Mexico vs Ecuador at the Azteca.
Wednesday July 1: England vs DR Congo in Atlanta; Belgium vs Senegal in Seattle; USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina in Santa Clara.
Thursday July 2: Spain vs Austria in Los Angeles; Portugal vs Croatia in Toronto; Switzerland vs Algeria in Vancouver.
Friday July 3: Australia vs Egypt in Dallas; Argentina vs Cape Verde in Miami; Colombia vs Ghana in Kansas City.
Giants drawn against giants
The draw put heavyweights against each other early. Portugal vs Croatia on July 2 in Toronto is the one to circle: Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal against Luka Modrić's Croatia, two of the tournament's marquee veterans meeting in the Round of 32 rather than a final. Croatia were 2018 finalists and finished third in 2022.
Brazil vs Japan lands the day before, June 29 in Houston. Five-time champions against Asia's standard-bearer; Japan finished 2nd in Group F unbeaten, one win and two draws. Spain vs Austria closes the giant bracket on July 2 in Los Angeles — Group H winner Spain, the reigning European champions, against a disciplined Austria.
David against Goliath, again
The underdog run that defined the group stage continues into the knockouts. The headline tie is Argentina vs Cape Verde on July 3 in Miami: the reigning champions and Messi against the smallest nation by population ever to reach a men's World Cup knockout, roughly 525,000 people.
Three more ties carry the same shape. Colombia vs Ghana closes Friday in Kansas City — Colombia won Group K unbeaten, Ghana scraped through as a best third. USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina on July 1 in Santa Clara puts the co-hosts, Group D winners, against a Bosnia side in the knockouts for the first time in their history. Mexico vs Ecuador on June 30 returns host Mexico — perfect, nine points — to the Azteca, against the Ecuador team that beat Germany in the group.
One more name worth tracking: Norway. Ivory Coast vs Norway on June 30 in Dallas marks Norway's return to a World Cup for the first time since 1998 — and Erling Haaland's first.
What to watch first
The bracket opens with South Africa vs Canada today in Los Angeles, then runs daily through Argentina vs Cape Verde on July 3. Single-elimination from here: level after 90 goes to 30 minutes of extra time, then penalties. Follow every result on the calendar, and watch the bracket fill tie by tie.