2026 World Cup: Complete List of Eliminated Teams

Forty‑eight nations entered the 2026 World Cup, but the group stage has already sent 36 home. Only 12 squads remain in contention for the knockout phase.

Group‑stage Dropouts

The first wave of eliminations saw 12 teams finish bottom of their groups and four of the best third‑placed sides sent packing. Here are the squads that were left behind after the pool matches. This marks a swift end for many familiar names in the competition.

• Czech Republic
• Qatar
• Haiti
• Turkey
• Curaçao
• Tunisia
• New Zealand
• Saudi Arabia
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Uzbekistan
• Panama
• Iran
• South Korea
• Scotland
• Uruguay

Round‑of‑32 Exits

After the 32‑team knockout round began, another 16 teams were eliminated. The following nations lost their round‑of‑32 matches and are now out of the tournament. These results solidify the emerging pairs of contenders for the later stages.

• South Africa
• Japan
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Ivory Coast
• Sweden
• Ecuador
• DR Congo
• Senegal
• Bosnia‑Herzegovina
• Croatia
• Austria
• Cape Verde
• Australia
• Algeria
• Ghana

Round‑of‑16 Exits

The last 16 teams faced their toughest test yet, and four more squads could not progress. These are the clubs that were knocked out at the round‑of‑16 stage. The eliminated sides include two former World Cup hosts and two South American powerhouses.

• Canada
• Paraguay
• Brazil
• Mexico

That leaves 12 teams to contest the next knockout round, where the path to the title shortens dramatically. The survivors will include the traditional powerhouses and surprise qualifiers, setting up a fresh set of high‑stakes matches. Fans can now anticipate a lineup of fierce battles as the competition braces for the knockout phase.

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