World Cup 2026 group stage: Croatia advances, Netherlands wins, Japan draws

Croatia secured a place in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup by beating Ghana 2‑1 in Philadelphia, with Nikola Vlašič scoring the decisive header in the 83rd minute. The victory gave the Croatian side its third consecutive tournament progression from the group stage.

In Group F, the Netherlands topped the group after a 3‑1 win over Tunisia in Kansas City, with goals from Mastúrí, Brobbey and Van Hecke. Coach Ronald Kuman noted areas for improvement despite the triumph.

Japan and Sweden played to a 1‑1 draw in Dallas; Daizen Maeda opened the scoring for Japan and Anthony Elanga equalised for Sweden. Both teams will move on to the knockout phase, Japan as the group’s second‑place finisher and Sweden as one of the best third‑place teams.

Overall, 19 teams have now qualified for the knockout round of the tournament, confirming the line‑up for the next stage of the competition.