The pairings for the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup were finalized early Sunday morning following the completion of the group stage matches in Kansas City and Arlington. The tournament now transitions to the elimination phase, beginning Sunday evening. With the conclusion of group play, the full bracket for the knockout rounds is now established. A revised tournament format means a record 32 nations will compete in the first knockout round. Winners from these matches will advance to the round of 16. This marks a significant expansion in the number of teams participating in the knockout stages compared to previous World Cups.