FULL LIST: Countries eliminated from World Cup after group stage

The group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has concluded, with 16 teams bowing out of the tournament after failing to secure places in the Round of 32.

Among the biggest casualties were Tunisia, Uruguay, Türkiye, Korea Republic and Scotland, while tournament debutants Uzbekistan and Curaçao were also eliminated despite spirited campaigns.

Africa recorded an impressive outing, with nine of its 10 representatives among 32 countries progressing to the knockout stage.

Tunisia was the continent’s only team eliminated after finishing bottom of Group F without a point.

The 16 countries eliminated after the group stage are:

Haiti

Tunisia

Türkiye

Jordan

Panama

Qatar

Czechia

Curaçao

Iraq

Uruguay

Saudi Arabia

New Zealand

Scotland

Uzbekistan

Korea Republic

IR Iran

Several teams exited despite encouraging performances.

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Scotland finished third in Group C but missed out on a place among the best third-placed teams, while IR Iran remained unbeaten with three draws but also failed to qualify for the knockout rounds.

Uruguay, semi-finalists in previous editions, suffered a shock early exit after finishing third in Group H with two points.

Korea Republic also fell short after placing third in Group A behind Mexico and South Africa.

The Round of 32 begins on Sunday (today), with the remaining 32 teams battling for places in the last 16 of the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup.

Check out the full fixtures of the Round of 32 here: https://punchng.com/world-cup-2026-round-of-32-full-fixtures-dates-venues-revealed/

Saheed Oyelakin

Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.

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