A Round of 16 match at the FIFA World Cup 2026 takes place on Tuesday 7 July 2026 in the United States. The winners advance to the quarter-finals between 9 and 12 July. It is one of eight Round of 16 ties contested in the second knockout round of the first 48-team World Cup.
What is the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16?
The Round of 16 is the second knockout round at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following the new Round of 32 introduced for the expanded 48-team tournament. Eight single-elimination matches are played between 4 and 7 July 2026 at venues across the United States, with winners progressing to the quarter-finals on 9 to 12 July.
The match is 90 minutes plus stoppage time. If scores are level, 30 minutes of extra time are played followed by a penalty shootout if still tied. Five substitutes are permitted during regulation plus an additional substitution available in extra time. VAR, goal-line technology and semi-automated offside technology all operate throughout.
When is the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match?
The match kicks off at 16:00 Eastern Time on Tuesday 7 July 2026. That is 21:00 BST in the United Kingdom, 22:00 CEST across most of continental Europe, 13:00 on the US West Coast, and 05:00 on Wednesday 8 July in Tokyo. The quarter-finals follow at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on 9 July, SoFi Stadium on 10 July, Hard Rock Stadium on 11 July and Arrowhead Stadium on 12 July.
Where is the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match?
The match is being played at one of the 11 US host venues selected for the tournament. The 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup across the three co-host nations are Atlanta, Boston (Foxborough), Dallas (Arlington), Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles (Inglewood), Mexico City, Miami (Miami Gardens), Monterrey, New York/New Jersey (East Rutherford), Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area (Santa Clara), Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver.
Each venue has been fitted with a natural grass pitch for the tournament, with temporary surfaces laid over the usual artificial pitches in NFL stadiums. The specific venue for this match was confirmed by FIFA at the final draw in December 2025.
Key Contenders
The two teams meeting in this Round of 16 match are determined by results in the group stage and Round of 32. Leading contenders to reach the second knockout round include reigning world champions Argentina, 2022 runners-up France, five-time winners Brazil, European champions Spain, four-time winners Germany, and England, semi-finalists at Russia 2018. Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and Croatia are among the other European sides capable of reaching this stage.
All three host nations carry home advantage and crowd support through the knockout rounds. The expanded 48-team format improves the route to the knockout stages for nations from Africa, Asia and Concacaf, and upsets are expected as the tournament unfolds.
How to Watch
The match is available on free-to-air television in most major markets. BBC or ITV carries the match in the United Kingdom with streaming on BBC iPlayer and ITVX. FOX provides English-language coverage in the United States, and Telemundo and Peacock carry the Spanish-language feed. TSN and CTV share rights in Canada, RDS covers the French-language feed, and TelevisaUnivision and TV Azteca share rights in Mexico. SBS has the match free to air in Australia with Optus Sport streaming, TF1 and beIN Sports share rights in France, and beIN Sports holds exclusive rights across the Middle East and North Africa.
History and Records
The Round of 16 has been part of every World Cup since the knockout phase was expanded in 1986. Memorable matches in the round include Diego Maradona scoring his opener against Greece in 1994, Dennis Bergkamp’s extra-time winner for the Netherlands against Argentina in 1998, Germany 4 England 1 in Bloemfontein in 2010, and Morocco’s win over Spain on penalties in Al Rayyan in 2022 that launched their run to the semi-finals, a first for an African nation.
Tickets and Attendance
Tickets are sold exclusively through FIFA.com with hospitality packages available from On Location. Category 4 seats reserved for residents of the host nations started at around 390 US dollars in the opening sales phase, with Category 1 seats from approximately 1,045 dollars. Any remaining availability closer to the tournament is released via FIFA’s official fan-to-fan resale platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Round of 16 match kick off?
The match kicks off at 16:00 Eastern Time on Tuesday 7 July 2026, which is 21:00 BST.
Where is the Round of 16 match being held?
At one of the 11 US host venues for the 2026 World Cup, confirmed by FIFA ahead of the tournament.
How can I watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16?
BBC or ITV in the UK, FOX and Telemundo in the United States, TSN and CTV in Canada, and free-to-air broadcasters in most major markets.
What happens if the match is a draw?
Thirty minutes of extra time followed by a penalty shootout if required.