The group stage of the 2026 World Cup has come to an end and the 32 teams that will compete in the round of 32 have already been defined. The 24 first and second in each group advanced directly, while the eight best third-place finishers completed the knockout phase draw.
The first round left several surprises, with Cape Verde being the most notable. The African team qualified for the round of 32 in its World Cup debut and became one of the great revelations of the tournament.
There were also unexpected eliminations. Uruguay and Turkey were left out before the knockout phase, despite arriving at the tournament with aspirations of advancing and fighting for a place among the best teams.
Central America also did not have a positive closing. Panama was the only representative of the region that failed to advance and ended its participation without scoring points or scoring goals in the group stage.
Balance was one of the main characteristics of this World Cup, with several very close duels and tables that constantly changed. This has generated great expectations for the last date, in which the qualifiers were defined and the pairings for the next round will be confirmed.
This is how the matches for the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup were defined:
Provisional round of 32 crosses
- Germany (1st in Group E) vs. Paraguay (best third)
- France (1st in Group I) vs. Sweden (best third)
- South Africa (2nd in Group A) vs. Canada (2nd in Group B)
- Netherlands (1st in Group F) vs. Morocco (2nd in Group C)
- Portugal (2nd in Group K) vs. Croatia (2nd in Group L)
- Spain (1st in Group H) vs. Austria (2nd in Group J)
- United States (1st in Group D) vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (best third)
- Belgium (1st in Group G) vs. Senegal (best third)
- Brazil (1st in Group C) vs. Japan (2nd in Group F)
- Ivory Coast (2nd in Group E) vs. Norway (2nd in Group I)
- Mexico (1st in Group A) vs. Ecuador (best third)
- England (1st in Group L) vs. DR Congo (best third)
- Argentina (1st in Group J) vs. Cape Verde (2nd in Group H)
- Australia (2nd in Group D) vs. Egypt (2nd in Group G)
- Switzerland (1st in Group B) vs. Algeria (best third)
- Colombia (1st in Group K) vs. Ghana (2nd in Group L)
A painting that can still change
These confrontations correspond to a projection based on current positions and do not constitute the official FIFA team.
Although some matches are already practically defined by the classification of certain groups, several pairings still depend on the outcome of the remaining keys and, above all, on the definition of the eight best third partiesa key aspect in the 48-selection format.
The round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup will be played between the June 28 and July 3 in different locations in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Note: The crosses are provisional and are subject to change until FIFA officially confirms the final draw at the conclusion of the group stage.