World Cup 2026 group-stage tables: Who qualified for the knockout stages and who was eliminated?

The 2026 World Cup group stage has officially drawn to a close, with more teams than ever advancing to the knockout rounds.

The first of 104 games at the newly-expanded 48-team tournament took place on June 11 when co-hosts Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 in their opening Group A fixture.

This summer’s World Cup has reintroduced third-place progression for the first time since the 1994 tournament, abandoning the strict top-two qualification rule used between 1998 and 2022.

Featuring a brand-new round of 32, this expanded format means that only 16 nations were eliminated after the group stage was completed.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the standings for all 12 groups.

How nations qualified for the World Cup 2026 knockout stage

Just like every previous World Cup tournament since 1958, each nation faced each of their three group opponents once, with three points awarded for a victory and one apiece for a draw.

The top-two nations in each group automatically advanced to the round of 32, along with the eight best third-placed teams.

Tie-breaking criteria for groups at World Cup 2026

Had two or more teams finished level on points at the end of the group stage, a three-step framework was in place to determine who advances.

Step 1: Head-to-Head record

  -  Total points accumulated in group games played against one another

  -  Goal difference derived specifically from those head-to-head fixtures

  -  Total goals scored in the games between the tied nations

Step 2: Group-Wide Statistics

If a deadlock remained, the focus expanded to records across all three group fixtures:

  -  Superior overall goal difference

  -  Highest number of goals scored across all group games

  -  Fair Play record, evaluating fewer yellow and red cards picked up by players and staff

Step 3: FIFA Ranking decider

In the highly unlikely scenario that teams still could not be separated, qualification will be determined by the most recently published FIFA World Rankings, but such a tie-breaker was not necessary.

How the eight best‑ranked nations finishing third were decided

As mentioned previously, eight of the best third-placed teams in the group stage progressed to the knockout rounds, while the remaining four were eliminated along with the 12 nations who finished rock bottom of their group.

Teams were sorted into a centralised third-place leaderboard and ranked by the following consecutive measures:

  -  Total number of points accumulated in the group stage

  -  Goal difference

  -  Goals scored across all three group games

  -  Fair Play record, evaluating fewer yellow and red cards picked up by players and staff

  -  FIFA World Ranking (the final tie-breaker)

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group A

World Cup 2026 — Group A

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	Mexico	3	9	6	0	+6
2	South Africa	3	4	2	3	-1
3	Korea Republic	3	3	2	3	-1
4	Czech Republic	3	1	2	6	-4

Qualified for the round of 32: Mexico, South Africa

Possible best third-placed: South Korea

Group A drew to a close on June 24, when Mexico's 3-0 success over the Czech Republic and South Africa's 1-0 win over South Korea sent both sides through to the last 32.

Meanwhile, South Korea face an anxious wait to learn whether they will progress as one of the best third-placed teams, but the Czechs are preparing for an early flight home.

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group B

World Cup 2026 — Group B

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	Switzerland	3	7	7	3	+4
2	Canada	3	4	8	3	+5
3	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3	4	5	6	-1
4	Qatar	3	1	2	10	-8

Qualified for the round of 32: Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia

The first group to see three teams reach the last 32, Group B rivals Canada, Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina will all be present in the knockout rounds.

The latter will advance as one of the best third-placed teams thanks to their 3-1 win over Qatar, who have bowed out with just one point to their name.

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group C

World Cup 2026 — Group C

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	Brazil	3	7	7	1	+6
2	Morocco	3	7	6	3	+3
3	Scotland	3	3	1	4	-3
4	Haiti	3	0	2	8	-6

Qualified for the round of 32: Brazil, Morocco

Possible best third-placed: Scotland

Group C followed the script to a tee, with Brazil finishing first and Morocco claiming second spot to earn direct progression to the latter stages.

The Selecao's 3-0 thumping of Scotland means that the Tartan Army face a nervous wait to see if their journey will continue, while Haiti have been dumped out without a single point to their name.

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group D

World Cup 2026 — Group D

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	United States	3	6	8	4	+4
2	Australia	3	4	2	2	0
3	Paraguay	3	4	2	4	-2
4	Türkiye	3	3	3	5	-2

Qualified for the round of 32: USA, Australia

Possible best third-placed: Paraguay

Despite suffering a surprise 3-2 loss to already-eliminated Turkey on matchday three, the USA were already safely through to the last 32 as group winners.

They will be joined in the knockout rounds by Australia, as the Socceroos sealed second place thanks to a 0-0 draw with Paraguay, who face an anxious wait to learn whether they will progress as one of the best third-placed teams.

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group E

World Cup 2026 — Group E

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	Germany	3	6	10	4	+6
2	Côte d'Ivoire	3	6	4	2	+2
3	Ecuador	3	4	2	2	0
4	Curacao	3	1	1	9	-8

Qualified for the round of 32: Germany, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

Germany's first-placed ranking had already been rubber-stamped before Die Mannschaft were beaten 2-1 by Ecuador, who will advance as one of the best third-placed sides.

Meanwhile, Ivory Coast ended Curacao's World Cup dream on matchday three, prevailing 2-0 to ensure their place in the last 32.

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group F

World Cup 2026 — Group F

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	Netherlands	3	7	10	4	+6
2	Japan	3	5	7	3	+4
3	Sweden	3	4	7	7	0
4	Tunisia	3	0	2	12	-10

Qualified for the round of 32: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden

Another group confirmed to have three teams competing in the knockout rounds, Group F saw Netherlands take first place, Japan claim second and Sweden earn the bronze medal.

The latter's total of four points sufficed for a last-32 berth based on their third-placed ranking, while Tunisia crashed out without a single point to their name.

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group G

World Cup 2026 — Group G

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	Belgium	3	5	6	2	+4
2	Egypt	3	5	5	3	+2
3	Iran	3	3	3	3	0
4	New Zealand	3	1	4	10	-6

Qualified for the round of 32

Possible best third-placed

Recovering from a slow start to proceedings, Belgium thumped New Zealand 5-1 in the final round of Group G fixtures to qualify in first place and eliminate the All Whites.

Meanwhile, the 1-1 draw between Egypt and Iran also sent the Pharaohs through, and left the Lions of Mesopotamia facing a nervous wait to learn their third-placed fate.

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group H

World Cup 2026 — Group H

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	Spain	3	7	5	0	+5
2	Cape Verde Islands	3	3	2	2	0
3	Uruguay	3	2	3	4	-1
4	Saudi Arabia	3	2	1	5	-4

Qualified for the round of 32

Possible best third-placed

Spain topping Group H was no surprise, but what was an almighty shock was Cape Verde finishing as runners-up to La Roja, thanks to three draws from three games.

The debutants finished one point clear of under-performing Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, both of whom have been sent home.

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group I

World Cup 2026 — Group I

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	France	3	9	10	2	+8
2	Norway	3	6	8	7	+1
3	Senegal	3	3	8	6	+2
4	Iraq	3	0	1	12	-11

Qualified for the round of 32

Possible best third-placed

Both already through to the last 32, France and Norway engaged in a straight shootout for first place in Group I on the final matchday, where Les Bleus' 4-1 win saw them complete a perfect qualification stage.

Senegal were the bigger winners, though, thumping Iraq 5-0 to ensure their spot in the last 32 based on their third-placed ranking.

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group J

World Cup 2026 — Group J

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	Argentina	3	9	8	1	+7
2	Austria	3	4	6	6	0
3	Algeria	3	4	5	7	-2
4	Jordan	3	0	3	8	-5

Qualified for the round of 32

Possible best third-placed

Two fates in Group J were sealed before the final matchday; Argentina through to the last 32, and debutants Jordan officially being knocked out.

Austria and Algeria were level pegging on three points before coincidentally playing out an enthralling 3-3 draw on the final matchday, which kept Das Team in second and the Fennec Foxes in third; both ultimately did enough to progress.

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group K

World Cup 2026 — Group K

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	Colombia	3	7	4	1	+3
2	Portugal	3	5	6	1	+5
3	Congo DR	3	4	4	3	+1
4	Uzbekistan	3	0	2	11	-9

Qualified for the round of 32

Possible best third-placed

Colombia's success over DR Congo on matchday two ensured that the South American nation would be present in the knockout stages.

Portugal joined them thanks to results going their way on Friday, but a 0-0 draw with the group leaders on the final day forced them to settle for second place.

Meanwhile, DR Congo comfortably dispatched Uzbekistan 3-1 on June 27, thus advancing in third place and leaving the debutants without a single point to their name.

Permutations for World Cup 2026 Group L

World Cup 2026 — Group L

Pos	Team	P	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1	England	3	7	6	2	+4
2	Croatia	3	6	5	5	0
3	Ghana	3	4	2	2	0
4	Panama	3	0	0	4	-4

Qualified for the round of 32

Possible best third-placed

England and Ghana missed the chance to wrap up a top-two finish on matchday two, but the Three Lions solidified their first-placed ranking by getting the better of basement boys Panama on June 27.

Croatia's success over Ghana on the same evening also saw them advance as runners-up, but the latter's four-point haul sufficed for a knockout place too.