2026 World Cup: who are the first teams qualified and eliminated?

The picture of the teams qualified for the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup is gradually becoming clearer. At this stage of the competition, six teams have already secured their place in the next round, while four nations have been officially knocked out right from the group stage.

The 23rd edition of the World Cup kicked off on June 11 and will run until July 19. For the first time in its history, the tournament brings together 48 national teams.

The matches played overnight from Monday to Tuesday saw Jordan eliminated after a 2-1 defeat to Algeria. The Jordanians now join Haiti, Turkey, and Tunisia among the teams already out of the tournament.

On the flip side, six teams have booked their tickets for the round of 32: Norway, France, Argentina, Germany, the United States, and Mexico. With two wins from two matches, these squads have enjoyed a flawless run so far, racking up the maximum points after two matchdays.

What are the qualification rules for the round of 32?

The 2026 World Cup is being played in a new format featuring 48 teams divided into 12 groups.

The top two from each group directly qualify for the round of 32. The eight best third-placed teams then complete the final bracket of 32 teams advancing to the knockout stage.

World Cup 2026: France-Iraq (3-0), Norway-Senegal (3-2), highlights and goals in video

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.

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