FIFA World Cup 2026 Standings

FIFA World Cup 2026 Standings

The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ in North America is the 23rd edition of the biggest sporting event on the planet. The tournament is already full of firsts as it is the first to feature 48 teams and to be co-hosted by three countries (United States, Canada and Mexico). The FOX Sports app is your complete home for World Cup content, including live scores, highlights, commentary and analysis, and full-match replays. Watch live matches on FOX or stream on FOX One by signing in with your TV provider or signing up.

Who will be crowned champions of the men's football world?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place from 11 June to 19 July, as a record 48 teams compete for the sport's ultimate prize in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Teams are divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two advancing to the knockout stages while the eight best third-place finishers make up the round of 32. From there, it is a straight elimination format to determine the two nations who will contest the FIFA World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium.Find all of the matches, results, scores and group standings from the tournament.

FIFA World Cup 2026: All group standings

Group A - Mexico, South Africa, Czechia, Republic of Korea

Group B - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Qatar, Switzerland

Group C - Brazil, Haiti, Morocco, Scotland

Group D - Australia, Paraguay, Türkiye, USA

Group E - Curaçao, Ecuador, Germany, Côte d'Ivoire

Group F - Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Tunisia

Group G - Belgium, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, New Zealand

Group H - Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

Group I - France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway

Group J - Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

Group K - Portugal, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia

Group L - England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

The FIFA World Cup group stage is where World Cups are won and lost long before anyone lifts the trophy. Reputations are forged in the opening minutes of a tournament, and a single misplaced pass in a dead rubber can be the difference between a nation going home and advancing to the knockout rounds.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July, with a record 48 nations competing across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For the first time in the tournament's history, the field is split into 12 groups of four, and the road to the final at New York New Jersey Stadium begins here.

Teams earn three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a defeat. Goal difference and goals scored remain the tiebreakers that can make a group table swing dramatically in the final round of fixtures.

The top two teams from each group advance automatically to the Round of 32, with the eight best third-placed finishers across all 12 groups also progressing. That means 32 of the 48 nations will advance, giving even the most difficult groups a narrow route through for the side that finishes third.

Working out which third-placed teams qualify is where it gets complicated. Those eight spots are determined first by points, then goal difference, then goals scored, then a disciplinary score based on yellow and red cards received, and finally by FIFA ranking. In a tournament with 12 groups running simultaneously over two weeks, the permutations can shift by the hour.

With 48 teams across 12 groups, the path to the knockout stage is broader than any previous World Cup. The top two from each group, 24 teams in total, advance automatically. The remaining eight spots in the Round of 32 go to the best third-placed teams across all 12 groups.

Once the group stage concludes on June 27, the Round of 32 bracket locks in, and the tournament becomes straight knockout football all the way to the final on July 19.

The road to World Cup glory begins in the group stage, where every point matters and every match can shape the tournament. With star-studded squads, historic rivalries, and high-stakes battles on the horizon, we've picked the 10 best FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage matches that football fans in Sri Lanka won't want to miss

The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup is underway. This page — one of dozens comprising The Athletic’s World Cup Tracker project — is your destination for current group standings and the live table of third-place teams.

If you’re just tuning in, here are the basics: there are 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four teams each (the United States is in Group D). Over the course of 16 days, the teams in each group will play each other once. The top two teams in each group automatically advance to the Round of 32, along with the top eight third-place teams. You can find a more detailed explanation here.

Current third place standings

Teams that have finished in third place are sorted first by points (three points for a win, one for a tie and none for a loss), then goal differential (goals scored minus goals allowed), then goals scored.

Generally speaking, if a team wins just one of its three group games, it has a good chance of advancing, especially if its goal differential is positive or close to even. A third place team with two points or fewer will probably not advance to the Round of 32. (See our live third-place forecast for more.)

Mexico won all three of its group-stage games to advance to the knockout rounds as the winner of Group A. It will face a third-place team in Mexico City on June 30 in the Round of 32.

South Africa stunned South Korea in its final group-stage game, winning 1-0, to secure its first-ever knockout-round berth.

South Korea is in third with three points and a goal differential of -1, which will probably be enough to advance.

The Czech Republic had a chance to move on but lost its final game, against Mexico, to finish fourth in the group

Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina will advance to the Round of 32 out of Group B.

Switzerland topped the group after beating Canada 2-1 in its final group-stage game. Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina both had four points, but Canada had the better goal differential and finished in second place.

Bosnia and Herzegovina secured third place with a 3-1 win over Qatar. It will be one of the eight third-place teams that advances and will very likely face the United States in the Round of 32.Brazil won Group C and will face the runner-up from Group F (Japan, the Netherlands or Sweden) in the Round of 32. Morocco advanced in second place after winning its final game, against Haiti, 4-2.Scotland finished third and is now in a precarious position. Their 3-0 loss against Brazil dropped their goal differential to -3 — right around what we’d expect the cutoff point to be for a third-place team.Haiti lost all three games and was eliminated before its final match.

The United States clinched the top spot in Group D after beating Paraguay and Australia. The Americans will face the third-place team from Groups B, E, F, I or J in San Francisco on July 1 — likely Bosnia and Herzegovina or Qatar. With nothing at stake in its final group-stage game, the United States can rest players in preparation for the knockout rounds.Australia and Paraguay both have three points after winning their games against Turkey. They’ll play each other in their next match. A draw would essentially guarantee that both advance (one in second place and the other in third); otherwise, the game’s loser could be in danger of becoming one of the third-place teams that doesn’t earn a berth.Turkey has been eliminated; it will finish fourth no matter the outcome of its game against the United States.

Germany won its first two games and clinched the top spot in Group E. Its second win, 2-1 against Ivory Coast, required two goals from substitute Deniz Undav, including one in stoppage time, after trailing 1-0. Like the United States and Mexico, Germany has nothing at stake in its final game.

Even with its loss, Ivory Coast has a great chance to advance; a win or draw in its final game — against Curacao, the group’s weakest team — would secure a berth in the Round of 32.

Curacao had an impressive performance against Ecuador, tying 0-0 for its first-ever World Cup point, largely thanks to 15 saves from its goalkeeper, Eloy Room. However, both teams will likely need to win their final game — Ecuador plays Germany, and Curacao plays Ivory Coast — to advance to the knockout rounds.

The Netherlands and Japan have effectively guaranteed knockout-round berths. After they played each other and tied in their first game, both had dominant wins in their second. The Netherlands beat Sweden, 5-1, and Japan beat Tunisia, 4-0.

Sweden is still well-positioned to advance. It has three points and an even goal differential entering its final game against Japan. Sweden probably would advance even with a loss, but it would need to keep the game from getting out of hand.

Tunisia, which fired its coach after the first game, has been eliminated.

Egypt leads Group G after beating New Zealand 3-1 — the country’s first-ever win at the World Cup. Egypt has basically guaranteed a knockout-round berth and is now the favorite to win the group. But heading into the group’s final games, every team has a path to the Round of 32.

Belgium entered as the top team in the group but tied its first two games, against Egypt and Iran. It now needs a positive result — a draw or win — in its final game, against New Zealand, to advance.

Iran also needs only a draw against Egypt to have a great chance of moving on, while New Zealand would need to beat Belgium.

Spain effectively guaranteed a knockout-round berth with an emphatic 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia. Spain entered the tournament as one of the title favorites but opened with an unexpected draw against Cape Verde. Spain remains well-positioned to win Group H.

Cape Verde and Uruguay both have drawn their first two games. Both would almost certainly advance with at least a draw in their final game. Uruguay must get that result against Spain, while Cape Verde only needs to do so against Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia remains in contention, as well, but would need to beat Cape Verde to earn a spot in the Round of 32.

France and Norway have clinched spots in the Round of 32 after winning their first two games. The stars of both teams — Kylian Mbappe of France and Erling Haaland of Norway — have each scored four times so far in the tournament. The two countries will play each other in their final group-stage game, with the winner taking first place in Group I and the loser getting second. If they tie, France will win the group.

Senegal and Iraq have yet to earn a point but will face each other next. The winner of that game could advance to the knockout rounds. A win should be enough for Senegal; it may not be for Iraq, whose goal differential currently sits at -6. A draw would likely mean neither team advances.

Argentina, the defending World Cup champion, won Group J after beating Algeria and Austria in its first two games. Lionel Messi has scored five times, breaking the record for the most all-time goals scored at the World Cup.

Austria and Algeria both have three points, and they play each other in the final game. A draw would ensure both teams advance to the Round of 32. Austria can afford a loss better than Algeria, though both have plausible paths to the Round of 32 if they do lose.

Jordan has been eliminated. It faces Argentina in its final game, and neither team has anything at stake.

Colombia has clinched a spot in the Round of 32 after winning its first two games, against Uzbekistan and D.R. Congo. Colombia would win the group with a win or tie against Portugal.

Portugal opened with an unexpected draw against D.R. Congo but then rebounded with a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, which included two goals from the team’s 41-year-old star, Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal is now essentially guaranteed to advance and can win the group if it beats Colombia.

D.R. Congo, with just one point, can still advance, likely as the group’s third-place team with a win against Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan, with a -7 goal differential, would be unlikely to advance even with a win.

England is in control of Group L, even after tying Ghana 0-0 in its second game. If it wins its final game, against Panama, it will win the group, as long as it stays ahead of Ghana on goal differential.

Ghana is basically assured a spot in the Round of 32, probably as the group’s second- or third-place team. Croatia will likely advance, too, even if it loses to Ghana in its final group-stage game.

Panama lost its first two games and has been eliminated.

Posted on 2026/06/26 05:17 PM