The 2026 FIFA World Cup continues to unfold with dramatic results on its 11th matchday, Sunday June 21, reshaping the tournament’s path and closing out group stage campaigns for a handful of national sides. After a full slate of competitive matches, three nations have already secured their place in the tournament’s knockout round of 32, while three others have seen their World Cup dreams come to an early end.
Host nation Mexico became the first side to punch their ticket to the knockout stage, clinching the top spot in Group A after a 1-0 victory over South Korea on Thursday, June 18. Mexico kicked off their tournament in the chaotic opening match, where they earned a solid 2-0 win over South Korea to set the tone for their group stage run. The United States followed as the second qualified nation, impressing in Group D with a 2-0 defeat of Australia on Friday, June 19. That result marked the US’s second consecutive win, after opening their campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay.
Germany became the third confirmed qualifier for the round of 32, securing their spot with a narrow 2-1 win over Ivory Coast on Saturday, June 20. The result marks a promising comeback for the German national side, which failed to advance past the group stage at both the 2018 Russia World Cup and the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Germany signaled their renewed strength early, opening their Group E run with a dominant 7-1 rout of Curaçao.
On the opposite end of the table, three teams have already been eliminated from tournament contention. Haiti, making their first World Cup appearance since 1974, was the first side to exit, falling 3-0 to Brazil on Friday, June 19 after a narrow 1-0 opening-match loss to Scotland. Turkey, competing in their first World Cup in 24 years, was next to go out after a disappointing 1-0 loss to 10-man Paraguay on Friday. The defeat followed a surprising 2-0 opening loss to Australia that left Turkey at the bottom of Group D with zero points.
Tunisia was the third eliminated side, ousted after a lopsided 4-0 defeat to Japan on Saturday, June 20. The North African side, which made history as the first African nation to win a World Cup match with a victory over Mexico in 1978, has never advanced past the group stage of the competition, and their 2026 run ended early following a 5-1 opening loss to Sweden. Elsewhere in the day’s results, Haiti could not mount a challenge against Brazil, falling to a clear defeat that confirmed their early exit.
As the group stage progresses, three more matches are scheduled to be played on June 22: Group J’s clash between Argentina and Austria at Dallas Stadium in Texas kicking off at 14:00, followed by Group I’s match between France and Iraq at Philadelphia Stadium in Pennsylvania at 18:00, and a final Group I showdown between Norway and Senegal at MetLife Stadium in New York at 21:00. With more group stage results on the horizon, the race for the remaining knockout round spots is gearing up for an exciting conclusion.