The World Cup 2026 continues in full flow and is nearing the end of the group stage with teams now seeking to finalise their spots in the knockout rounds.
32 of the 48 nations will progress to the next stage of the competition as the top two sides in each group automatically qualify followed by the eight highest point scorers who finish in third. That means there is lots to play for in the final round of fixtures with progression to the last-32 a plausible possibility for plenty of teams.
In Group A, Mexico have already secured their place in the next round having beaten both South Africa and South Korea and have also clinched top spot due to a superior head-to-head record against Korea - the only team in the group who can finish level with them on points.
Korea won their opening match to leave them second in the group on three points while South Africa and Czech Republic both have one point meaning all three teams have a chance of making it into the next stage.
Here’s everything you need to know about Group A’s knockout round permutations:
32 of the 48 nations will progress to the next stage of the competition as the top two sides in each group automatically qualify followed by the eight highest point scorers who finish in third. That means there is lots to play for in the final round of fixtures with progression to the last-32 a plausible possibility for plenty of teams.
In Group A, Mexico have already secured their place in the next round having beaten both South Africa and South Korea and have also clinched top spot due to a superior head-to-head record against Korea - the only team in the group who can finish level with them on points.
Korea won their opening match to leave them second in the group on three points while South Africa and Czech Republic both have one point meaning all three teams have a chance of making it into the next stage.
Here’s everything you need to know about Group A’s knockout round permutations:
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