Ecuador defeats Germany 2-1 to clinch World Cup 2026 round of 32

Ecuador overturned an early 0‑1 deficit to beat Germany 2‑1 in the final group‑stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, securing the last automatic spot among the “best third‑placed” teams and advancing to the round of 32. The winning goal came in the 78th minute after a corner and a header from Pláta.

In Group F, the Netherlands topped the group with a 3‑1 win over Tunisia, while Japan and Sweden drew 1‑1. Japan finished second and will meet Brazil in the knockout stage; Sweden, with four points, awaits the draw to learn its opponent as one of the best third‑placed sides. The knockout‑stage draw also set the following first‑round pairings: Netherlands vs Morocco, South Africa vs Canada, USA vs Bosnia‑Herzegovina, and other match‑ups involving the qualified sides.