Key Points
- England finish top of Group L after an unbeaten campaign
- Croatia claim second place in Group L to qualify automatically
- All teams for the inaugural Round of 32 have now been confirmed
- Expanded 48-team World Cup enters knockout phase
ISLAMABAD: The group stage of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded with England sealing top spot in Group L, Croatia securing second place.
The complete 32-team knockout field is finally taking shape after nearly three weeks of football across the United States, Canada and Mexico, according to Reuters.
England completed an unbeaten group campaign with a 2-0 victory over Panama to finish first in Group L.
Croatia defeated Ghana 2-1 to book the group’s second automatic qualification berth. Ghana’s campaign also continued after the Black Stars did enough to reach the knockout phase under the tournament’s expanded qualification system.
Panama exited the competition without earning a point.
World Cup in history.
The conclusion of Groups J, K and L completed the first phase of the biggest World Cup in history.
For the first time, 48 nations contested the finals, divided into 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed finishers, advanced to a newly introduced Round of 32.
The extended version of the FIFA World Cup replaced the traditional Round of 16 that had opened the knockout phase in previous editions.
Among the most dramatic stories on the final day came in Group J, where Austria and Algeria produced a thrilling 3-3 draw that allowed both teams to continue in the tournament.
The group stage ended Iran’s hopes despite the Asian side remaining unbeaten with three draws. The unbeaten Iran were the ninth team on the list of third-place teams, thus eliminated from the World Cup as only the eight best of that group are taken to the 32.
The result completed one of the closest races for qualification in recent World Cup history.
Group K also produced a landmark achievement as DR Congo defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 to reach the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time since competing as Zaire in 1974.
The victory marked one of African football’s biggest success stories of the tournament and completed a remarkable turnaround after more than five decades away from the global stage.
Traditional football powers successfully navigated the group stage, with Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands all progressing to the knockout rounds. Co-hosts Mexico, Canada and the United States also advanced, ensuring all three host nations remain in contention for the title.
The group stage also produced several surprise qualifiers. Cape Verde reached the knockout phase in their maiden World Cup appearance.
Bosnia and Herzegovina progressed from Group B, and Norway finished as runners-up behind France.
Morocco again demonstrated their growing consistency on the global stage after another impressive campaign. DR Congo’s qualification added to a strong African showing in the tournament.
Several established football nations, however, failed to survive the expanded group stage.
Scotland, Uruguay, South Korea and Iran were among the highest-profile casualties, with Scotland’s elimination followed by the resignation of head coach Steve Clarke.
Panama, Uzbekistan, Jordan and several other nations also saw their campaigns come to an end before the knockout rounds.
READ ALSO: Scotland Coach Steve Clarke Resigns After World Cup Exit
The teams now advancing to the Round of 32 include Mexico, South Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, Morocco, the United States, Paraguay, Germany, Curaçao, the Netherlands, Japan, Belgium, Egypt, Spain, Cape Verde, France, Norway, Argentina, Austria, Colombia, Portugal, England and Croatia as automatic qualifiers from their respective groups.
They are joined by the best-performing third-placed teams to complete the 32-nation knockout bracket, according to Al Jazeera.
The knockout phase opens with South Africa facing Canada before Brazil meets Japan, Germany takes on Paraguay, and the Netherlands face Morocco.
Other headline fixtures include France against Sweden, England against DR Congo, the United States against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal against Croatia, Spain against Austria, Argentina against Cape Verde and Colombia against Ghana.
From this stage onward, every match is a straight knockout contest, with extra time and penalties deciding the winner if required.
With the group stage complete, attention now turns to a month-defining knockout campaign that will culminate in the World Cup final on July 19 in New Jersey.
The expanded tournament has already delivered new nations in the spotlight, dramatic qualification battles and a more diverse knockout field than ever before, setting the stage for what promises to be an unpredictable race to football’s biggest prize.
