The race for the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is gathering pace, with six countries officially booking their places in the Round of 32 while four others have been eliminated after two rounds of group-stage matches.
The qualified teams are Mexico, the United States, Germany, Argentina, France, and Norway, all of whom have accumulated enough points to guarantee progression regardless of the outcome of their final group matches.
On the other hand, Haiti, Türkiye, Tunisia, and Jordan have become the first nations to bow out of the tournament after suffering results that left them unable to finish among the top two in their groups or qualify as one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed teams.
Norway secured qualification with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Senegal, with Erling Haaland scoring twice to send his country into the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in nearly three decades. France also advanced from the same group after defeating Iraq, while Argentina continued its impressive campaign with another Lionel Messi-inspired victory over Austria.
Germany, Mexico and co-hosts United States had already confirmed their places in the knockout rounds following strong starts to the tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to feature 48 teams, introducing a Round of 32 for the first time. Under the expanded format, the top two teams in each of the 12 groups qualify automatically, alongside the eight best third-placed teams.
Several traditional football powerhouses remain on course to join the knockout stage as the final round of group matches approaches. Brazil, Spain, Portugal, England, Morocco, Japan, Switzerland and Canada are among the teams still battling to secure qualification.
With places in the knockout bracket still up for grabs, the closing group fixtures are expected to deliver more drama before the Round of 32 gets underway on June 28.
