The 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage is over, and the Round of 32 is set, with defending champions Argentina, hosts Mexico and the USA, and traditional powerhouses Brazil, France, and Germany all through, joined by a handful of remarkable qualifiers that have defined this tournament so far. The Round of 32 is the first knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where 32 teams compete in single-elimination matches to advance to the Round of 16.
Three players have stolen the headlines. Lionel Messi became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 18 goals after netting twice against Austria. Argentina topped Group J and entered the knockouts as favourites alongside France, whose Kylian Mbappe has been equally lethal with four goals in two games.
Meanwhile, there is a growing wave of support behind Norway’s Erling Haaland. He has been perhaps the tournament’s biggest revelation, scoring four goals in two matches, becoming only the second player in the past 50 years to score twice in each of his first two World Cup games, joining Harry Kane from 2018.
South Africa reached the Round of 32 for the first time in their history. Cape Verde, making their World Cup debut, also advanced. DR Congo qualified for the knockouts for the first time ever, and Egypt reached the knockout stage for the first time as well.
Africa, as a continent, had arguably its strongest World Cup group stage performance in history, with Morocco, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Ghana, and Algeria also through.
Among the eliminated, Qatar suffered the ignominy of crashing out as former hosts with just one point. Iran, Scotland, and South Korea all finished third in their groups but could not secure enough points to advance as best third-placed teams.
The Round of 32 runs from 28 June to 3 July.
