Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterThe marathon World Cup 2026 group stage is almost over, with just the final round of matches left to play.With 12 groups to get through this summer, up from eight in recent editions, many teams will have played just two games in the opening fortnight of the tournament.But once the final group fixtures have concluded in the early hours of Sunday morning (BST), the path to the World Cup 2026 final in New Jersey will start to become clearer.Play our FREE match predictor and win �1kWhen does World Cup 2026 end?The World Cup began with co-hosts Mexicos 2-0 win over South Africa in Estadio Azteca on Thursday, June 11 - the first of 72 group matches crammed into just 17 days.With 104 games in total, the vast majority of fixtures will have taken place by Saturday night, before they start to thin out over the remainder of the tournament. You may like FIFA World Cup 2026 fixtures & complete schedule What are the World Cup 2026 kick-off times? World Cup 2026 fixtures in full: The complete schedule The knockout phase begins on Sunday - less than 24 hours after the group stage ends - and finishes with the World Cup 2026 final on Sunday, July 19 in New Jersey (8pm kick-off BST).The expanded format of this tournament means there is an extra knockout round, with teams who qualify from their group playing a last-32 fixture next, rather than going straight into the last 16. It means the two finalists will contest eight games in total.Get the FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.All last-32 matches will be played between Sunday, June 28 and the early hours of Saturday, July 4 (BST).The teams who progress will reach the last 16, which takes place between Saturday, July 4 and Tuesday, July 7.That is followed by the quarter-finals, held between Thursday, July 9 and Saturday, July 11. From this point onwards, all games are in the USA, rather than co-hosts Canada and Mexico.The semi-finals take place on Tuesday, July 14 in Dallas and Wednesday, July 15 in Atlanta, with both matches kicking off at 8pm.After that, there will be only two games remaining: the third-place play-off in Miami at 10pm BST on Saturday, July 18 and, of course, the final in New Jersey the following day.That will bring the curtain down on the longest World Cup in history, at 39 days - a whole seven days longer than recent editions of the tournament.James RobertsFreelance writerJames Roberts is a freelance sports journalist working for FourFourTwo and other titles. He started his career at the Oxford Mail, where he covered Oxford United home and away, before becoming a sports sub-editor for various national newspapers.
