Bracket set for Women's World Cup knockout stage

The path to the Women's World Cup title is now set.

With group stage action coming to an end Thursday, the 16 teams that reached the knockout round of the competition learned their respective routes to Lyon, where the final is slated to take place on July 7.

Three of the world's top-four ranked nations - the United States, England, and France - all find themselves on the same side of the bracket. A potential heavyweight tilt between the reigning champion U.S. and host France looms, incredibly, in the quarterfinal stage.

On the flip side, the Netherlands' 2-1 win over Canada in their Group E decider Thursday gives the Dutch an enviable route to the semis.

The round of 16 begins Saturday in Grenoble, where Germany will meet Nigeria; the African team earned a spot in the knockout stage as the last of the third-place finishers to move on.