Later today, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will get underway. There are two matches on Thursday’s docket: Host team Mexico gets things started against South Africa, while a little later South Korea will square off with Czechia.

And in short order, the other 44 teams will join the fray.

Here, we are keeping track on the standings for each of the 12 groups at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. You can also learn about how tiebreakers are determined, and how the eight best third-place teams will be decided, as those teams will join the top two teams from each group in the round of 32.

World Cup group standings

Here are the latest Group A standings:

Here is the schedule of all matches for Group A:

Mexico 2, South Africa 0
South Korea 2, Czechia 1

Czechia vs. South Africa
Mexico vs. South Korea

South Africa vs. South Korea
Czechia vs. Mexico

Here are the latest Group B standings:

Here is the schedule of all matches for Group B:

Canada 1, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1

Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Canada vs. Qatar

Switzerland vs. Canada
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar

Here are the latest standings in Group C:

Here is the schedule of all matches for Group C:

Brazil 1, Morocco 1
Scotland 1, Haiti 0

Scotland vs. Morocco
Brazil vs. Haiti

Morocco vs. Haiti
Scotland vs. Brazil

Here are the latest standings in Group D:

Here is the schedule of all matches for Group D:

United States 4, Paraguay 1

United States vs. Australia
Türkiye vs. Paraguay

Türkiye vs. United States
Paraguay vs. Australia

Here are the latest standings in Group E:

Here is the schedule of all matches for Group E:

Germany 7, Curaçao 1
Ivory Coast 1, Ecuador 0

Germany vs. Ivory Coast
Ecuador vs. Curaçao

Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast
Ecuador vs. Germany

Here are the latest standings in Group F:

Here is the schedule of all matches for Group F:

Netherlands 2, Japan 2
Sweden vs. Tunisia

Tunisia vs. Netherlands
Japan vs. Sweden

Here are the latest standings in Group G:

Here is the schedule of all matches for Group G:

Belgium vs. Egypt
Iran vs. New Zealand

Belgium vs. Iran
New Zealand vs. Egypt

New Zealand vs. Belgium
Egypt vs. Iran

Here are the latest standings in Group H:

Here is the schedule of all matches for Group H:

Spain vs. Cabo Verde
Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia
Uruguay vs. Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia
Uruguay vs. Spain

Here are the latest standings in Group I:

Here is the schedule of all matches in Group I:

France vs. Senegal
Iraq vs. Norway

France vs. Iraq
Norway vs. Senegal

Norway vs. France
Senegal vs. Iraq

Here are the latest standings in Group J:

Here is the schedule of all matches in Group J:

Argentina vs. Austria
Jordan vs. Algeria

Algeria vs. Austria
Jordan vs. Argentina

Here are the latest standings in Group K:

Here is the schedule of all matches in Group K:

Portugal vs. DR Congo
Uzbekistan vs. Colombia

Portugal vs. Uzbekistan
Colombia vs. DR Congo

Colombia vs. Portugal
DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan

Here are the latest standings in Group L:

Here is the schedule of all matches in Group L:

England vs. Croatia
Ghana vs. Panama

England vs. Ghana
Panama vs. Croatia

Panama vs. England
Croatia vs. Ghana

Who advances to the knockout round at the World Cup?

With the expansion of the field to 48 nations, the knockout round will look a little different at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Rather than beginning with a round of 16, the knockout stage will begin with a round of 32. That’s right, 32 out of the 48 nations will advance to the knockout rounds: The top two teams in each group will be the first 24 teams, and then the other eight will be the eight best third-place teams.

How do tiebreakers work at the World Cup?

Finally, a word on tiebreakers at the World Cup.

If two or more teams in the same group are equal on points following the group stage, a three-step process will be followed to determine tiebreakers.

In the first step, the greatest number of points in the group matches between the tied teams will be applied. Then, the superior goal difference from the group matches betwen the tied teams will be applied, and finally, the greatest number of goals scored in all group matches between the tied teams will be applied.

If that cannot determine a tiebreaker, then the teams that are still equal will advance to step two. In this stage, the first step is the goal difference in all group matches, then the greatest number of goals in all group matches, and finally the highest team conduct score (relating to yellow and red cards) will be applied.

If that does not break the tie, then the teams still equal on points will be ranked according to the most recent FIFA World Rankings.

How are the third-place teams ranked?

Here is how FIFA will stack the third-place teams.

First, the greatest number of points in all group matches.

Second, the goal difference from all group matches.

Third, the number of goals scored in all group matches.

Fourth, the team conduct score.

If there are still ties after those four steps are applied, the teams still equal on points will be ranked according to the most recent FIFA World Rankings.