The 2026 World Cup has reached its final group-stage push, and the race to the round of 32 is tightening fast. With six matches on the schedule Thursday, more teams were set to lock in their knockout spots.
Heading into play, 13 teams had already secured a place in the next round. USA TODAY reported that the bracket and standings were being updated live as the day unfolded, with several groups still deciding their final order.
Who has already clinched a round-of-32 place
Mexico, South Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Morocco, the United States, Germany, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, France, Norway, Argentina and Colombia were among the teams marked as already through. Some groups had also produced a crowded finish, with multiple teams still alive on the final day.
Groups still packed with movement
Group B had Switzerland on 7 points, while Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina were both on 4 points. Qatar sat at the bottom with 1 point, leaving the top places settled but still affecting the knockout picture.
Group E showed Germany and Ivory Coast both on 6 points, with Ecuador also through on 4 points. In Group L, England and Ghana were level on 4 points, while Croatia sat on 3 points and Panama remained on 0.
Round-of-32 schedule already taking shape
The knockout bracket included South Africa vs Canada on Sunday, June 28, at Los Angeles Stadium. Other matchups listed for the round of 32 included Brazil vs a Group F runner-up, the United States vs a Group B, E, F, I, or J third-place team, and Argentina vs a Group H runner-up.
Several fixtures were still dependent on the final group results, including Germany’s path against a third-place team from Groups A, B, C, D or F, and Mexico’s place in the bracket against a third-place team from Groups C, E, F, H or I. FOX was listed as the broadcaster for the knockout games shown in the schedule.
What comes next
The round of 16 was also already outlined, with games set for Philadelphia, Houston, New York New Jersey, Mexico City, Dallas, Seattle, Atlanta and BC Place Vancouver. As the group stage closed, the remaining spots and seeds were still set to reshape the bracket before the knockout rounds begin.
