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The expanded World Cup format means lots of moving parts and changing permutations during the final round of group games.
A 48-team bracket must be reduced to 32 for the knockout rounds, meaning the top two from each of the 12 groups of four will be joined by the eight best third-place finishers.
2026 WORLD CUP HQ: Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup tickets
The placement of the third-placed teams in the bracket is something that will change depending on results elsewhere. It can all be a bit of a head scratcher.
But don't worry, we've got you covered with all the latest results and permutations from the conclusion of the group stage
JUMP TO GROUP: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L
World Cup bracket 2026
Below is the projected Round of 32 schedule and bracket as it stands on June 25. Teams whose place in a fixture is confirmed are listed in bold. Teams sitting in the listed position who could still finish in a different spot are listed in italics.
This list will be updated after every round of fixtures from Wednesday, June 24 to Saturday, June 27, when the group stage concludes.
LIVE: Follow World Cup updates from June 25 games
World Cup Group A standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
Mexico
Has qualified as group winner.
South Africa
Qualified as second-place team with win over South Korea.
South Korea
Will need help to qualify as third-place team.
Czechia
Eliminated from World Cup with 3-0 loss to Mexico.
Group A schedule, results
World Cup Group B standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
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 are eliminated and have take one point from their past two World Cups, the first of those as hosts.
Group B schedule, results
World Cup Group C standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
Brazil
Qualified as first-place team in group.
Morocco
Has qualified as second-place team.
Scotland
Is not officially eliminated but needs a lot of help to qualify as third-place team.
Haiti
Eliminated with 0 points.
Group C schedule, results
World Cup Group D standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
United States
Australia
Clinched a spot in the knockout round with Turkey's loss to Paraguay. Can finish second in Group D with a win against Paraguay.
Paraguay
Clinched a spot in the knockout round with win against Turkey. Can finish second in Group D with a win against Australia.
Turkey
Eliminated after 1-0 loss to Paraguay
Group D schedule, results
World Cup Group E standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
Germany
Qualified for knockout round and clinched Group E with win over Ivory Coast and Ecuador's draw against Curacao.
Ivory Coast
Moved into round of 32 with win vs. Curacao
Ecuador
Moved through to the Round of 32 as third-place team with win over Germany
Curacao
Eliminated from World Cup
Group E schedule, results
World Cup Group F standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
Sweden
Will qualify to knockout stage if they beat Japan in their final match.
Tunisia
Will be eliminated if they lose to Japan and the Netherlands beat Sweden.
Netherlands
Will clinch a knockout stage position if the Netherlands wins against Tunisia in their final group-stage match.
Japan
Must beat either Tunisia and/or Sweden in their final two group-stage matches.
Group F schedule, results
World Cup Group G standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
Egypt
Can clinch first place in Group G with a win over Iran in the final group stage match. Egypt can fall no further that third in the group standings but is not yet guaranteed a place in the knockouts due to tiebreakers.
Iran
Can clinch first place in Group G with a win over Egypt and a Belgium loss or draw in the final group stage match.
Belgium
Can clinch second place in Group G with a win over New Zealand and Iran's defeat to Egypt.
New Zealand
Can rise as high as second place in Group G with a win over Belgium and Iran's defeat to Egypt.
Group G schedule, results
World Cup Group H standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
Spain
Can clinch first place in Group H with a win over Uruguay in the final group stage match. A draw coupled with a Cape Verde win over Saudi Arabia would create a three-way tie atop the group.
Uruguay
Can clinch first place in Group H with a win over Spain and a Cape Verde loss or draw.
Cape Verde
Can rise to second place in Group H with a win over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay's defeat to Spain.
Saudi Arabia
Can rise to third in Group H with a win over Cape Verde and Uruguay's defeat to Spain.
Group H schedule, results
World Cup Group I standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
France
France qualified for the knockout round with a 3-0 victory over Iraq. It will clinch first place in the group with a win or draw against Norway in the final match.
Norway
Norway qualified for the knockout round with a 3-2 victory over Senegal. It can clinch first place in the group with a win against France in the final match.
Iraq
Will be eliminated with a loss or draw in final game
Sengal
Will be eliminated with a draw or loss to Iraq in final game
Group I schedule, results
World Cup Group J standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
Argentina
Won Group J and qualified for the knockout rounds after beating Austria 2-0 and Jordan's loss to Algeria
Austria
Will qualify for Round of 32 with a win or draw against Jordan in the final group match.
Algeria
Will qualify for Round of 32 with a win against Austria in the final group match. If Algeria loses, it will come down to third-place tiebreakers.
Jordan
Eliminated with 2-1 loss to Algeria
Group J schedule, results
World Cup Group K standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
Portugal
Will qualify as group winners if they defeat Colombia on matchday three.
Colombia
Has qualified to Round of 32. If Colombia draws/wins against Portugal in the final group-stage game, they win the group.
DR Congo
Can qualify for the Round of 32 as a third-place team, or finish second in Group K if they outscore Portugal by 6+ goals in final match against Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan
Must beat DR Congo to have a chance of qualifying as a third-place team.
Group K schedule, results
World Cup Group L standings and scenarios
- Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
- E = Eliminated
England
Will qualify with a win over Panama in final group match.
Ghana
Will qualify with win over Croatia in final group match.
Croatia
Will qualify with win over Ghana in final group match.
Panama
Were eliminated with los to Croatia
Group L schedule, results
World Cup 2026 group stage tiebreakers
When wins, losses and draws alone aren't enough to determine a group's standings, the following tiebreaking procedure will be used. Expect these to come into play as the permutations noted above play out.
Overall goal difference: whichever team has the higher margin between how many goals they score and allow.
- Total goals scored: whichever team scores the most goals in the group stage.
- Head-to-head points: most points in group matches when the teams tied in the standings went against each other.
- Head-to-head goal difference: the highest margin of goals scored/against in group matches when the teams tied in the standings went against each other.
- Head-to-head goals scored: most goals in group matches when the teams tied in the standings went against each other.
- Highest team conduct score: a score that is diminished as team players/personnel get carded.
- Higher FIFA/Coca‑Cola Men’s World Ranking: the team with the higher international team rank will move on. If the teams somehow have the same ranking, the most recent past edition of the rankings will be examined.
Dom Farrell
Dom is a senior content producer. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.
Source: Sporting News
