2026 World Cup Round of 16: Teams, fixtures, and how to watch
Qualified sides, knockout clashes, and broadcast details for the tournament’s decisive second act.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup turns knockout-time brutal with the round of 16 draw set for December 12 in Doha. Eight first-place finishers and eight runners-up from the group stage now face winner-take-all duels at eight stadiums across Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Mexico. The highest-profile opener lands on December 14 in Houston when Brazil meets South Korea, a rematch of the 2022 Round of 16 that ended in a 4-1 rout for the Seleção.
That same night, hosts Mexico collide with Nigeria in Arlington, Texas, in a clash that could mark the first time El Tri advances past this stage on home soil. The Mexican federation has already mobilized a 50,000-seat contingency plan in Arlington, betting big on a deep run behind a fan army projected to exceed 30,000. Defending champions Argentina land in Los Angeles on December 15 to face Switzerland, while France—fresh off a 3-0 demolition of the Netherlands in their final group game—takes on Denmark in Dallas.
