Round of 32 race: 7 teams through, 5 out, and 36 nations still fighting for survival

The second round of the group stage at the FIFA World Cup 2026 is over. 48 matches have been done so far, and the tournament is beginning to take shape for the knockouts. With 48 teams in the competition this time, the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup will begin the knockout stage with the Round of 32, which will be played between June 28 and July 3. And ahead of the start of the final round of the group stage, we take a look at where all 48 teams stand.
Of the 48 teams in this World Cup, 16 will be eliminated at the end of the group stage, leaving just 32 to proceed to the first stage of the knockout rounds.
Those 32 will comprise the top two teams from each of the 12 groups, while the re...