GROUP STAGE — 16 TEAMS ELIMINATED (June 11–27, 2026)
Out after group stage 16 teams
Final · Group stage complete · June 27, 2026
ROUND OF 32 EXITS — 16 TEAMS OUT (Jun 28 – Jul 3)
Out after Round of 32 (all confirmed) 16 teams
All R32 exits confirmed · Jun 28 – Jul 3 · Round of 16 begins July 4
ROUND OF 16 EXITS — 8 CONFIRMED (Jul 4–7)
Out after Round of 16 (all confirmed) 8 teams
All 8 confirmed · Round of 16 complete
QUARTER-FINAL EXITS — ALL 4 CONFIRMED (Jul 9–11)
Out after Quarter-finals 4 teams
All 4 Quarter-final exits confirmed · Semi-final 1 complete: Spain 2-0 France (Jul 14) · Semi-final 2 complete: Argentina 2-1 England (Jul 15)
SEMI-FINAL EXITS — 2 CONFIRMED (Jul 14–15)
Out after the Semi-finals 2 teams
Spain and Argentina reach the Final, Jul 19 · England beat France 6-4 in the Third-place match, Jul 18, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
STILL IN THE TOURNAMENT (2 teams)
Teams remaining 2 teams
Both Semi-finals complete · Spain vs Argentina is the confirmed World Cup 2026 Final, Jul 19 at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
How many teams get eliminated in the group stage?
With 48 teams in 12 groups, 16 teams are eliminated after the group stage:
- All 12 fourth-placed teams (last in their group) are automatically out
- The 4 worst third-placed teams (out of 12 third-place finishers) are also eliminated
- The 8 best third-placed teams advance to the Round of 32 alongside the 24 group winners and runners-up
So 32 teams survive the group stage out of 48 — a higher survival rate than the old 32-team format.
When are teams eliminated in the knockout rounds?
Every match from the Round of 32 onwards is single-elimination — lose once and you're out:
- Round of 32 (Jun 28–Jul 3): 16 teams eliminated ✅ complete
- Round of 16 (Jul 4–7): 8 eliminated ✅ complete
- Quarter-finals (Jul 9–11): 4 eliminated, 4 advance — Morocco eliminated by France 2-0 (Jul 9), Belgium eliminated by Spain 2-1 (Jul 10), Norway eliminated by England 2-1 AET (Jul 11), Switzerland eliminated by Argentina 3-1 AET (Jul 11) ✅ complete
- Semi-finals (Jul 14–15): 2 eliminated — France eliminated by Spain 2-0 (Jul 14), England eliminated by Argentina 2-1 (Jul 15) — both go to the 3rd-place play-off ✅ complete
- Final (Jul 19, MetLife Stadium): Spain vs Argentina — 1 champion crowned
What happened to Turkey at World Cup 2026?
Turkey were eliminated in the group stage in one of the most extraordinary fashions in World Cup history. They accumulated approximately 62 total shots across their three group matches — and scored zero goals. Losses to Australia and Paraguay ended their campaign. One of the most wasteful group stage exits the World Cup has ever seen.
What happened to Uruguay at World Cup 2026?
Uruguay were eliminated in the group stage, finishing third in their group with insufficient points to rank among the eight best third-placed teams. It is their second consecutive group stage exit, a major shock for a two-time World Cup winner with Darwin Núñez and Rodrigo Bentancur in the squad.
Why is Italy not at the World Cup 2026?
Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — their second consecutive World Cup absence after also missing Qatar 2022. Italy are four-time World Cup winners (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006) and their back-to-back absence is one of the biggest stories in international football.