After Colombia's 1-0 victory over the Democratic Republic of the Congo, matchday 2 of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup is finally concluded. With one matchday left in the first phase, several groups have already confirmed their leaders, qualifiers, and eliminated teams, while in others, the story will be decided in the last match.
This is why we will review the situations of the 12 groups, looking at the different scenarios that could arise and the possibilities each team has to stay alive in the most important tournament in football.
It should be noted that the top two teams from each group advance directly to the Round of 16, while any team that can still finish at least third is not eliminated and will depend on the results of the other groups to be among the 8 best third-placed teams that advance to the next stage.
*all times are in Argentina
*2 Head to Head / H2H: tiebreaker based on the results of direct matches between teams tied on points
Group A: Mexico first and a three-way battle for qualification
Last matchday matches:
South Africa - South Korea (6/24 - 22:00)
Czech Republic - Mexico (6/24 - 22:00)
Mexico:
After their 1-0 victory over South Korea and thanks to the Head to Head, they secured their leadership and their place in the Round of 16, where they will face one of the best third-placed teams from Groups C, E, F, H, or I.
South Korea:
Victory over South Africa = 2nd with 6 pts
Draw with South Africa and Czech Republic victory = 2nd with 4 pts (they will have the same points as the Czechs, but they surpass them by H2H [they defeated them 2-1 in the debut])
Draw with South Africa and Draw/Loss of Czech Republic = 2nd with 4 pts
Loss to South Africa and Draw/Loss of Czech Republic = 3rd with 3 pts
Loss to South Africa and Czech Republic victory = 4th with 3 pts
Czech Republic:
Victory over Mexico and Victory of South Africa = 2nd or 3rd with 4 pts (it will depend on the final goal difference, or otherwise on the following tiebreak criteria)
Victory over Mexico and Draw = 3rd with 4 pts (they will have the same points as the Koreans, but lose by H2H [they fell 2-1 in the debut])
Victory over Mexico and Loss of South Africa = 3rd with 4 pts
Draw with Mexico and Draw/Loss of South Africa = 3rd with 2 pts (by goal difference)
Loss to Mexico and Draw = 3rd with 1 pt
Draw with Mexico and Victory of South Africa = 4th with 2 pts
Loss to Mexico and Draw/Victory of South Africa = 4th with 1 pt
South Africa:
Victory over South Korea and Draw/Loss of Czech Republic = 2nd with 4 pts
Victory over South Korea and Victory of Czech Republic = 2nd or 3rd with 4 pts (it will depend on the final goal difference, or otherwise on the following tiebreak criteria)
Draw with South Korea and Loss of Czech Republic = 3rd with 2 pts
Draw with South Korea and Draw/Victory of Czech Republic = 4th with 2 pts
Loss to South Korea = 4th with 1 pt
Group B: everything to be decided, with a head-to-head battle for the lead
Last matchday matches:
Switzerland - Canada (6/24 - 16:00)
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Qatar (6/24 - 16:00)
Canada:
Victory over Switzerland = 1st with 7 pts
Draw with Switzerland = 1st with 5 pts (by goal difference)
Loss to Switzerland and Draw = 2nd with 4 pts
Loss to Switzerland and Victory of Qatar = 2nd with 4 pts (they will have the same points as the Qataris, but they surpass them by H2H [they defeated them 6-0 in the second match])
Loss to Switzerland and Loss of Qatar = 2nd or 3rd with 4 pts (it will depend on the final goal difference, or otherwise on the following tiebreak criteria)
Switzerland:
Victory over Canada = 1st with 7 pts
Draw with Canada = 2nd with 5 pts (by goal difference)
Loss to Canada and Draw = 2nd with 4 pts
Loss to Canada and Victory of Bosnia = 2nd with 4 pts (they will have the same points as the Bosnians, but they surpass them by H2H [they defeated them 4-1 in the second match])
Loss to Canada and Loss of Bosnia = 2nd or 3rd with 4 pts (it will depend on the final goal difference, or otherwise on the following tiebreak criteria)
Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Victory over Qatar and Victory of Switzerland = 2nd or 3rd with 4 pts (it will depend on the final goal difference, or otherwise on the following tiebreak criteria)
Victory over Qatar and Victory of Canada = 3rd with 4 pts (they will have the same points as the Swiss, but lose by H2H [they fell 4-1 in the second match])
Victory over Qatar and Draw = 3rd with 4 pts
Draw with Qatar = 3rd with 2 pts (by goal difference)
