The second round of group stage games has seen the World Cup dreams of five sides come to a premature end. Haiti, Turkiye, Tunisia, Jordan, and Panama have all been eliminated after just two matches, a consequence of a new tiebreaker rule introduced for the 2026 tournament.
New Tiebreaker Rule Changes Everything
Instead of using goal difference as the first tiebreaker, which had been the case since 1970, the head-to-head record between sides is now used. This change has accelerated eliminations and qualifications. In Qatar 2022, only two teams were out after two games; now five are gone. Conversely, four teams have already secured top spot in their groups after two matches, something that did not happen in 2022.
The Round of 32 will consist of 12 group winners, 12 runners-up, and the eight best third-placed teams. The knockout stage runs from June 28 to July 3.
Eliminated Teams
Haiti
Haiti became the first team eliminated, losing 1-0 to Scotland and 3-0 to Brazil in Group C. Their first World Cup since 1974 ended prematurely.
Turkiye
Turkiye suffered a 2-0 defeat to Australia and a 1-0 loss to Paraguay in Group F, the latter against 10 men for the entire second half. Their final group match against the USA is now meaningless.
Tunisia
Tunisia endured a 5-1 loss to Sweden, leading to coach Sabri Lamouchi being sacked—the first manager ever fired after one World Cup match. Herve Renard, the seventh manager since qualifying, could not prevent a 4-0 defeat to Japan, confirming elimination.
Jordan
World Cup debutants Jordan lost 3-1 to Austria and 2-1 to Algeria, despite taking the lead. Amine Gouiri scored the winner eight minutes from time. They face Argentina in their final game.
Panama
Panama, in a group with England, Croatia, and Ghana, lost 1-0 to both Ghana and Croatia. They will play England, who need a result to qualify.
Qualified Teams
Co-hosts Mexico (Group A winners) and USA (Group D winners) were first to book Round of 32 places. Germany (Group E), Argentina (Group J), France and Norway (both Group I), and Colombia (Group K) have also qualified. Colombia will top their group with a point against Portugal.
