Houston Sur 0:3 Houston FC 
FC Motown II 3:0 New Jersey Copa 
San Marcos de Arica 1:3 Deportes Limache 
Brazil 3:0 Haiti 
Snohomish United 4:0 Bangers 
Reboceros La Piedad 0:2 Club Queretaro 
Türkiye 0:1 Paraguay 
Hume City 3:2 Green Gully 
Cooks Hill United 3:3 Weston Bears 
Lambton Jaffas 1:1 Adamstown Rosebuds 
Toronto Awaba Stags 1:0 South Cardiff 
Robina City 1:0 Logan Lightning 
Devonport City 2:2 Clarence Zebras 
South East Utd. 1:0 Glenorchy Knights 
Launceston United 3:2 Ulverstone 
New Town 6:3 Hobart Utd. 
Hobart City 2:2 Taroona 
Northern Rangers 10:2 Somerset 
Canberra Olympic 2:5 Monaro Panthers 
Western Sydney Wanderers U23 0:3 Sutherland Sharks 
Avondale 11:0 Dandenong Thunder 
Heidelberg United 0:1 Preston Lions 
North Sunshine Eagles 0:2 Northcote City 
Melbourne Srbija 2:0 Melbourne Knights 
Belmont Swansea 1:0 Broadmeadow Magic 
Gold Coast United 1:4 Brisbane Roar II 
Brindabella 1:0 O'Connor Knights 
Manningham United Blues 2:3 North Geelong Warriors 
Adelaide United II 1:1 Adelaide Comets 
Playford City Patriots 4:1 Campbelltown City 
The 2026 World Cup is bigger than ever, with 48 teams split into 12 groups of four. After all group matches are played, the top two teams from each group move on to the knockout stage. That means 24 teams advance, plus the eight best third-place finishers — making a total of 32 teams in the round of 32.
Every match in the group stage matters. Teams earn three points for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss. The goal is simple: finish high enough in your group to keep your tournament dreams alive.
How Group Play Decides the Winners
Each group has four teams that play each other once. After three matches per team, the standings are sorted by total points. But if two or more teams have the same number of points, tiebreakers come into play.
- Goal difference: The difference between goals scored and goals allowed.
- Goals scored: If goal difference is equal, the team that scored more goals ranks higher.
- Head-to-head result: If still tied, the result between the tied teams matters most.
- Fair play points: Fewer yellow/red cards can break a tie.
- Drawing lots: As a last resort, FIFA may use a random draw.
These rules ensure a clear winner and runner-up in each group, plus the eight best third-place teams.
Knockout Matchups and What Comes Next
Once the knockout stage is set, the bracket is fixed. Group winners face third-place teams from other groups, and runners-up play runners-up from different groups. Teams cannot face someone from their own group until later rounds.
The bracket is designed to reward strong group performance. Winning your group often means an easier opponent in the first knockout round. From there, it’s win or go home — every match is sudden death, with extra time and penalties if needed.
Every Point Counts
For fans, the group stage is full of drama. A single goal can change who advances. Teams that finish second or as a third-place qualifier still have a shot, but they face tougher opponents early. The 2026 format means more teams get a chance, but the pressure to perform from the first whistle is higher than ever.
As the group matches unfold, keep an eye on the standings and tiebreaker scenarios. That’s how you’ll know which teams are heading to the knockout rounds — and which are heading home.