How did teams qualify for World Cup knockout stage? Group winners, final third-place table, eliminated teams confirmed
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Updated 28/06/2026 at 12:57 GMT+1
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Defending champions Argentina, thanks to Lionel Messi, confirmed their place in the new-look knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup with maximum points. Mexico and France joined them with perfect records - but who else made the cut?
Jude Bellingham
Image credit: Getty Images
Three years ago, FIFA reversed an earlier plan for three-nation groups in the expanded 48-team World Cup, but the new round-of-32 stage means teams will have to play eight games in order to be crowned champions, compared to seven at the 2022 edition.
Qatar was deemed a success through the use of the traditional groups of four, but this tournament has expanded from its previously projected 80 matches to 104.
The four-team group format - with the top two progressing to the knockout rounds - has been the standard since the World Cup expanded to 32 teams in 1998.
Now, the top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed sides, progress to the knockout rounds.
Here's how each of the 48 performed in the group stage, along with the final third-placed table.
Who has qualified for the round of 32?
Group winners: Mexico, Switzerland, Brazil, USA, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, France, Argentina, Colombia, England
Runners-up: South Africa, Canada, Morocco, Australia, Cote d'Ivoire, Japan, Egypt, Cabo Verde, Norway, Austria, Portugal, Croatia
Best third-placed teams: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Paraguay, Ecuador, Sweden, Senegal, Algeria, DR Congo, Ghana
Who has been eliminated?
Worst third-placed teams: Korea Republic, Scotland, Iran, Uruguay
Bottom-placed teams: Czechia, Qatar, Haiti, Turkiye, Curacao, Tunisia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Panama
Group A
Mexico became the first team to qualify for the knockout stage after beating Korea Republic in their second game. The co-hosts then dumped out Czechia.
Son Heung-min and co. lost to South Africa in their finale, which secured Bafana Bafana's progress from the group stage for the first time ever, leaving Korea Republic in third and with an agonising wait.
Group B
Switzerland and Canada went through automatically, with the former topping the group after beating the co-hosts in their last group game.
Bosnia & Herzegovina finished third, but their four-point tally was enough to seal qualification thanks to other results going their way since. Qatar are out.
Group C
Scotland's fate was determined by other results, with Steve Clarke's eventually finishing 11th in the third-place table.
Brazil topped the group, just ahead of Morocco on goal difference, while Haiti departed the tournament.
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Group D
Co-hosts USA booked their place in the World Cup knockout stage with back-to-back wins, before losing to already-eliminated Turkiye.
That left Paraguay and Australia to fight it out for second place, and the Socceroos took it. Paraguay progressed as one of the best third-placed finishers.
Group E
Germany qualified for the round of 32 with a game to spare after a win over Cote d'Ivoire.
Ecuador took full advantage of Germany having already sealed top spot, winning 2-1 on matchday three to clinch their place as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
Cote d'Ivoire did the business against tournament debutants Curacao, leaving the African side in second place and into the knockout stage.
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Group F
Sweden’s thumping 5-1 win over Tunisia got them off to a dream start, but Graham Potter’s side were brought crashing down to earth after losing 5-1 to the Netherlands in their second match.
A 1-1 draw against Japan on the final matchday secured their last-32 spot, with a third-placed finish on four points.
Japan go through in second, while the Netherlands topped the group with seven points. Tunisia were the whipping boys of the group, finishing pointless on a -10 goal difference.
Group G
Favourites Belgium were sweating about their World Cup status after two draws, but rose to the top of the standings with a 4-1 win over bottom-placed New Zealand in the group finale.
Egypt and Iran drew 1-1 at the same time, which left The Pharaohs in second spot and through. Iran went out after VAR denied them a historic late victory in the most dramatic circumstances.
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Group H
Spain took control of Group H with a thumping 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia and sealed top spot against Uruguay.
La Roja had been under pressure following their shock goalless draw with debutants Cabo Verde in their opening game.
Cabo Verde backed that up with two further draws to complete an extraordinary tale, and qualify automatically for the knockout stage. Uruguay and Saudi Arabia crashed out.
Group I
France went through to the knockout stage thanks to a weather-delayed 3-0 win over Iraq. Mbappe scored twice to take his goal tally for the tournament to four.
Norway followed Didier Deschamps’ side into the last 32 after Haaland scored twice in a 3-2 win over Senegal.
France beat Norway in the last group game, while Senegal crushed Iraq 5-0 to qualify from third place.
Group J
Messi’s record-breaking heroics sent reigning world champions Argentina into the last 32 with victory over second-placed Austria, as he became the World Cup's outright leading scorer.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner had already scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria, and he added a sixth goal against already-eliminated Jordan.
Austria went through via a late draw in their group finale against Algeria, who go through in third place.
Group K
Colombia opened their campaign with wins over Uzbekistan and DR Congo to secure progression, and then claimed first place with a goalless draw against Portugal.
DR Congo qualified in third place behind Portugal, with their crucial 3-1 victory on the final matchday seeing them over the line with four points.
Group L
Last but not least, England put one foot in the knockout stage by defeating their highest-ranked group rivals Croatia 4-2 in a swashbuckling opening win.
A disappointing draw with Ghana followed, but goals from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane against the already-eliminated Panama ensured England secured top spot.
Croatia defeated Ghana 2-1 in the final game to finish second, while Ghana qualified in third.
Third-place standings
| Team | Games played | Points | GD |
| 1. Dr Congo (Q) | 3 | 4 | +1 |
| 2. Sweden (Q) | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 3. Ecuador (Q) | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 4. Ghana (Q) | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 5. Bosnia & Herz. (Q) | 3 | 4 | -1 |
| 6. Algeria (Q) | 3 | 4 | -2 |
| 7. Paraguay (Q) | 3 | 4 | -2 |
| 8. Senegal (Q) | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 9. Iran (E) | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 10. Korea Rep. (E) | 3 | 3 | -1 |
| 11. Scotland (E) | 3 | 3 | -3 |
| 12. Uruguay (E) | 3 | 2 | -1 |
Round-of-32 fixtures
- Sunday, June 28 - South Africa v Canada (Los Angeles)
- Monday, June 29 - Brazil v Japan (Houston)
- Monday, June 29 - Germany v Paraguay (Boston)
- Tuesday, June 30 - Netherlands v Morocco (Monterrey)
- Tuesday, June 30 - Cote d'Ivoire v Norway (Dallas)
- Tuesday, June 30 - France v Sweden (New York/New Jersey)
- Wednesday, July 1 - Mexico v Ecuador (Mexico City)
- Wednesday, July 1 - England v DR Congo (Atlanta)
- Wednesday, July 1 - Belgium v Senegal (Seattle)
- Thursday, July 2 - USA v Bosnia & Herzegovina (San Francisco)
- Thursday, July 2 - Spain v Austria (Los Angeles)
- Friday, July 3 - Portugal v Croatia (Toronto)
- Friday, July 3 - Switzerland v Algeria (Vancouver)
- Friday, July 3 - Australia v Egypt (Dallas)
- Friday, July 3 - Argentina v Cabo Verde (Miami)
- Saturday, July 4 - Colombia v Ghana (Kansas City)
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