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The World Cup‘s expanded format brought with it plenty of confusion, particularly as the group stage neared its completion.
It also proved dramatic, with sides having to wait to the final day of action to figure out whether they would be staying in the tournament for a little while longer.
Saturday’s fixtures proved the last in the group stage slate. The matches and results were eye-catching, with DR Congo overcoming a one-goal deficit to secure entry into the knockout stage for the first time. Croatia, meanwhile, inched beyond Ghana with a late Nikola Vlasic strike, returning to a place it has long embraced.
Austria and Algeria played out an entertaining — if slightly contentious — draw in the final match of the day, with Austria’s Sasa Kalajdzic finding the target from short range to rescue a point for his side and send it to the Round of 32 at Iran’s expense.
The World Cup is nothing if not a spectacle. Saturday’s matches, like the ones that preceded them, made this dynamic abundantly clear.
With that, here’s a look at which teams are on their way to the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup.
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World Cup standings 2026
World Cup Group A table
| Pos | Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
| 1. | Mexico – Q | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | +6 |
| 2. | South Africa – Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 |
| 3. | South Korea – E | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | -1 |
| 4. | Czechia – E | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | -4 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group B table
| Pos. | Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
| 1. | Switzerland -Q | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | +4 |
| 2. | Canada – Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 |
| 3. | Bosnia and Herzegovina – Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | -1 |
| 4. | Qatar – E | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | -8 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group C table
| Pos | Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Brazil – Q | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | +6 |
| 2. | Morocco – Q | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 |
| 3. | Scotland – E | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| 4. | Haiti – E | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | -6 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group D table
| Pos | Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | United States – Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | +4 |
| 2. | Australia – Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 3. | Paraguay – Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| 4. | Turkey – E | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | -3 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group E table
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Germany – Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 4 | +6 |
| 2. Ivory Coast – Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 |
| 3. Ecuador – Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 4. Curacao – E | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | -8 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group F table
| Pos | Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Netherlands – Q | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 4 | +6 |
| 2. | Japan – Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 3 | +4 |
| 3. | Sweden – Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 4. | Tunisia – E | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 12 | -10 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group G table
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Belgium – Q | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| 2. Egypt – Q | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| 3. Iran – E | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 4. New Zealand – E | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | -3 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group H table
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Spain – Q | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | +5 |
| 2. Cape Verde – Q | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 3. Uruguay – E | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -1 |
| 4. Saudi Arabia – E | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | -4 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group I table
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. France – Q | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | +8 |
| 2. Norway – Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 7 | +1 |
| 3. Senegal – Q | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 6 | +2 |
| 4. Iraq – E | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 12 | -11 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group J table
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Argentina – Q | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 |
| 2. Austria – Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 3. Algeria – Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | -2 |
| 4. Jordan – E | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | -5 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group K table
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Colombia – Q | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 |
| 2. Portugal – Q | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | +5 |
| 3. DR Congo – Q | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| 4. Uzbekistan – E | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | -9 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup Group L table
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. England – Q | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | +4 |
| 2. Croatia – Q | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 3. Ghana – Q | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 4. Panama – E | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -4 |
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
World Cup bracket 2026
SN
World Cup 2026 knockout stage
| Qualified | Group winner | Runner-up | |
| Group A | Mexico, South Africa | Mexico | South Africa |
| Group B | Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina | Switzerland | Canada |
| Group C | Brazil, Morocco | Brazil | Morocco |
| Group D | United States, Australia, Paraguay | United States | Australia |
| Group E | Germany, Ivory Coast, Ecuador | Germany | Ivory Coast |
| Group F | Netherlands, Japan, Sweden | Netherlands | Japan |
| Group G | Belgium, Egypt | Belgium | Egypt |
| Group H | Spain, Cape Verde | Spain | Cape Verde |
| Group I | France, Norway, Senegal | France | Norway |
| Group J | Argentina | Argentina | Austria |
| Group K | Colombia | Portugal | DR Congo |
| Group L | England, Croatia, Ghana | England | Croatia |
Third place qualifiers
| Rank | Third-place team |
| 1. | Sweden |
| 2. | Ecuador |
| 3. | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| 4. | Paraguay |
| 5. | Senegal |
| 6. | Ghana |
| 7. | DR Congo |
| 8. | Algeria |
MORE: Updated third place standings | Teams eliminated from World Cup
World Cup 2026 clinching scenarios
Group A
Mexico
Has qualified as group winner with a win over South Korea.
South Korea
Eliminated from tournament contention after DR Congo beat Uzbekistan.
South Africa
Qualified to Round of 32 as second place in Group A with their 1-0 win over South Korea.
Czechia
Eliminated from the 2026 World Cup with their 3-0 loss to Mexico.
Group B
Switzerland
Switzerland progressed as group winners thanks to a 3-1 win over Canada in Vancouver.
Canada
Jesse Marsch’s co-hosts were forced to settle for second and will now have to hit the road, with their Round of 32 match in Los Angeles on Sunday. June 28.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia’s first World Cup win since 2014 against Qatar moved them on to four points, behind Canada on goal difference. That is likely to be enough to go through as one of the best third-place finishers
Qatar
Qatar is eliminated and has taken one point from their past two World Cups, the first of those as hosts.
Group C
Brazil
Clinched Round of 32 berth with win over Scotland.
Morocco
Clinched Round of 32 berth with win over Haiti.
Scotland
Eliminated from World Cup after 3-0 loss to Brazil.
Haiti
Eliminated from World Cup after 4-2 loss to Morocco.
Group D
United States
Won Group D
Australia
Qualified as the second-place team in Group D
Paraguay
Clinched third-place spot
Turkey
Eliminated after their 1-0 loss to Paraguay.
Group E
Germany
Qualified for the knockout round and clinched Group E with a win over the Ivory Coast and Ecuador’s draw against Curacao.
Ivory Coast
Qualified for the knockout round and clinched second-place of Group E with a win over Curacao.
Ecuador
Qualified for the knockout round as the third-place team with win over Germany.
Curacao
Eliminated from the World Cup with loss to the Ivory Coast.
Group F
Sweden
Qualified as third place team
Tunisia
Eliminated from World Cup
Netherlands
Qualified as first-place team
Japan
Qualified as second-place team
Group G
Egypt
Qualified as second-place team
Iran
Eliminated from knockout stage consideration after Algeria drew 3-3 with Austria.
Belgium
Qualified as first-place team
New Zealand
Eliminated from World Cup
Group H
Spain
Has clinched first place in Group H with a win over Uruguay in the final group stage match.
Cape Verde
Clinched second place in Group H with a draw over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay’s defeat to Spain.
Uruguay
Eliminated from the World Cup after a loss to Spain and a Cape Verde draw with Saudia Arabia.
Saudi Arabia
Eliminated from the World Cup with a draw with Cape Verde
Group I
France
France clinched Group I with a 4-1 win over Norway.
Norway
Norway finished second in Group I with a 4-1 loss to France and will face Ivory Coast in the Round of 32.
Iraq
Iraq was officially eliminated with a 5-0 loss to Senegal.
Senegal
Qualified as third-place team with three points and +2 goal differential.
Group J
Argentina
Won Group J and qualified for the knockout rounds after beating Austria 2-0, and Jordan’s loss to Algeria.
Austria
Qualified as Group J runner-up with 3-3 draw vs. Algeria.
Algeria
Qualified as third-place finisher with 3-3 draw vs. Austria.
Jordan
Eliminated with their 2-1 loss to Algeria.
Group K
Colombia
Qualified as group winner with 0-0 draw vs. Portugal.
Portugal
Qualified as group runner-up with 0-0 draw vs. Colombia.
DR Congo
Qualified for Round of 32 as third-place team with 3-1 win vs. Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan
Eliminated after losing to DR Congo 3-1.
Group L
England
Qualified as group winners with 2-0 win over Panama.
Croatia
Qualified as group runner-ups with 2-1 win over Ghana.
Ghana
Qualified as third-place team with 0-0 draw vs. England.
Panama
Were eliminated with their loss to Croatia.
World Cup 2026 schedule for knockout stage
Round of 32
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| Sun., June 28 | 73 | South Africa v Canada |
| Mon., June 29 | 74 | Germany v Paraguay |
| 75 | Netherlands v Morocco | |
| 76 | Brazil v Japan | |
| Tues., June 30 | 77 | France v Sweden |
| 78 | Ivory Coast vs. Norway | |
| 79 | Mexico v Ecuador | |
| Wed., July 1 | 80 | England v DR Congo |
| 81 | USA v Bosnia-Herzegovina | |
| 82 | Belgium v Senegal | |
| Thurs., July 2 | 83 | Portugal v Croatia |
| 84 | Spain v Austria | |
| 85 | Switzerland v Algeria | |
| Fri., July 3 | 86 | Argentina v Cape Verde |
| 87 | Colombia v Ghana | |
| 88 | Australia v Egypt |
Round of 16
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| Sat., July 4 | 89 | Winner match 74 v Winner match 77 |
| 90 | Winner match 73 v Winner match 75 | |
| Sun., July 5 | 91 | Winner match 76 v Winner match 78 |
| 92 | Winner match 79 v Winner match 80 | |
| Mon., July 6 | 93 | Winner match 83 v Winner match 84 |
| 94 | Winner match 81 v Winner match 82 | |
| Tue., July 7 | 95 | Winner match 86 v Winner match 88 |
| 96 | Winner match 85 v Winner match 87 |
Quarterfinals
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| Thurs., July 9 | 97 | Winner match 89 v Winner match 90 |
| Fri. July 10 | 98 | Winner match 93 v Winner match 94 |
| Sat., July 11 | 99 | Winner match 91 v Winner match 92 |
| 100 | Winner match 95 v Winner match 96 |
Semifinals
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| Tue., July 12 | 101 | Winner match 97 v Winner match 98 |
| Wed. July 13 | 102 | Winner match 99 v Winner match 100 |
Third-place
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| Sat., July 18 | 103 | Runner-up match 101 v Runner-up match 102 |
Final
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| Sun., July 19 | 104 | Winner match 101 v Winner match 102 |