Argentina, Japan and Ecuador clinch World Cup 2026 round‑of‑32 berths

The expanded 48‑team FIFA World Cup 2026 is seeing several surprise qualifications for the new round of 32. Defending champions Argentina are on course to meet Uruguay as early as the knockout stage, while newcomers Canada and South Africa have booked historic spots after the group stage.

Ecuador produced one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, beating Germany 2‑1 in New York and securing a place as one of the best third‑placed teams. The Netherlands topped Group F with a 3‑1 win over Tunisia, confirming their status as group leaders. Japan earned the runner‑up slot in the same group after a 1‑1 draw with Sweden, a match in which Sweden also qualified via the third‑place ranking. Ivory Coast advanced for the first time after a 2‑0 victory over Curaçao, highlighted by a double from Nicolas Pépé.

Overall, 19 teams have already guaranteed progression to the round of 32, including traditional powers such as Brazil, France, Germany, and the United States, as well as emerging sides like Canada, South Africa and the Netherlands. The final eight third‑place spots remain contested, with Bosnia‑Herzegovina, Paraguay and others still fighting for qualification.