🗂️ FIFA World Cup 2026
World Cup 2026 Groups
All 12 groups of the FIFA World Cup 2026 — live standings, group-stage fixtures and qualification status. 48 teams compete across Groups A to L from 11 June 2026.
12 Groups48 Teams72 Group Matches8 Qualify as Best 3rd
All 12 Groups
Group ADetails →
🇺🇸United States
🇫🇷France
🇯🇵Japan
🇨🇭Switzerland
Group BDetails →
🇨🇦Canada
🏴England
🇩🇰Denmark
🇰🇷South Korea
Group CDetails →
🇲🇽Mexico
🇪🇸Spain
🇦🇺Australia
🇷🇸Serbia
Group DDetails →
🇩🇪Germany
🇲🇦Morocco
🇮🇷Iran
🇨🇷Costa Rica
Group EDetails →
🇵🇹Portugal
🇸🇳Senegal
🇵🇦Panama
🇸🇦Saudi Arabia
Group FDetails →
🇳🇱Netherlands
🇶🇦Qatar
🇳🇬Nigeria
🇭🇳Honduras
Group GDetails →
🇦🇷Argentina
🇮🇹Italy
🇪🇬Egypt
🇮🇶Iraq
Group HDetails →
🇧🇪Belgium
🇧🇷Brazil
🇨🇲Cameroon
🇯🇴Jordan
Group IDetails →
🇨🇴Colombia
🇵🇱Poland
🇨🇮Ivory Coast
🇳🇿New Zealand
Group JDetails →
🇭🇷Croatia
🇺🇾Uruguay
🇿🇦South Africa
🇵🇪Peru
Group KDetails →
🇺🇦Ukraine
🇹🇷Türkiye
🇪🇨Ecuador
🇬🇭Ghana
Group LDetails →
🇦🇹Austria
🇻🇪Venezuela
🇩🇿Algeria
🇧🇴Bolivia
How the Group Stage Works
Round-Robin Format
In each group of 4 teams, every team plays the other three teams once (3 matches per team). Teams earn 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss. The final matchday of each group has both matches kick off simultaneously.
Who Qualifies?
1st & 2nd place (×12)24 teams automatically qualify for Round of 32
Best 8 × 3rd place8 more teams qualify from 12 third-placed finishers
4th place (×12)12 teams are eliminated
Tiebreakers Explained
- 1.Points in all group matches
- 2.Goal difference in all group matches
- 3.Goals scored in all group matches
- 4.Points in head-to-head matches between tied teams
- 5.Goal difference in head-to-head matches
- 6.Goals scored in head-to-head matches
- 7.Fair-play points (yellow/red cards)
- 8.Drawing of lots by FIFA
World Cup 2026 Groups — FAQ
How many groups are there in World Cup 2026?▾
There are 12 groups (A through L) in the FIFA World Cup 2026, each containing 4 teams. This is an expansion from 8 groups at the 2022 World Cup, accommodating 48 teams instead of 32.
How many teams advance from each World Cup 2026 group?▾
The top 2 teams from each of the 12 groups advance automatically to the Round of 32. Additionally, the 8 best third-placed teams across all groups also qualify — giving a total of 32 teams in the knockout stage.
When does the World Cup 2026 group stage start and end?▾
The group stage begins on 11 June 2026 with Mexico vs South Africa in Mexico City, and concludes on 26 June 2026 with the final round of group matches played simultaneously.
What is the Group of Death at World Cup 2026?▾
The Group of Death is the group widely considered most difficult to escape — often containing multiple strong nations. After the World Cup 2026 draw, analysts identified groups containing traditional powerhouses like Brazil, France or Spain alongside dark-horse qualifiers as the most competitive.
How are World Cup 2026 group games scheduled?▾
Each group plays a round-robin format: matchday 1 and 2 can feature any pairing, but matchday 3 sees both matches in the group played simultaneously to prevent collusion.
Which groups do the host nations USA, Canada and Mexico play in?▾
As the three host nations, USA, Canada and Mexico were seeded in different groups (pots 1 and 2) at the draw to ensure a spread across the 12 groups. Check the live standings for their current group assignments.
More World Cup 2026
Groups Overview
Live standings for all 12 groups
Live Standings
Points, GD and qualification status per group
WC 2026 Results
All full-time scores and live match updates
WC 2026 Schedule
All 104 matches with timezone converter
Knockout Bracket
Round of 32 through to the Final at MetLife
All 48 Teams
Squads, group and form for every WC nation