The race for a place in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is intensifying, with four more countries officially crashing out of the tournament after Friday’s round of group-stage matches.
Iraq, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand became the latest teams to see their World Cup dreams come to an end, bringing the total number of eliminated nations to 12 ahead of Saturday’s decisive final group fixtures.
With only the top two teams in each group and the eight best third-placed sides advancing to the Round of 32, several countries have already been left with no mathematical path to qualification.
Iraq Crushed By Senegal
Iraq’s campaign came to a disappointing end after a heavy 5-0 defeat to Senegal in Group I.
The emphatic victory kept Senegal’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams, while Iraq finished bottom of the group and bowed out of the competition.
Uruguay Suffer Shock Group-Stage Exit
Two-time world champions Uruguay also failed to progress after a 1-0 defeat to Spain.
The result condemned Marcelo Bielsa’s side to a disappointing group-stage exit after a campaign that yielded no victories, with Spain advancing while Uruguay’s World Cup journey came to an abrupt end.
Saudi Arabia, New Zealand Also Out
Saudi Arabia’s hopes of reaching the knockout rounds also ended despite battling Cape Verde to a goalless draw.
The single point proved insufficient to keep the Asian nation in contention, while Cape Verde secured a historic place in the Round of 32.
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New Zealand also joined the growing list of eliminated teams after suffering a 5-1 defeat to Belgium, with the Europeans boosting their qualification hopes through the commanding victory.
Twelve Teams Already Eliminated
With the group stage nearing its conclusion, 12 countries have now been knocked out of the tournament, while four more teams are expected to join the list before the Round of 32 begins.
Teams eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far:
- Haiti
- Turkey
- Tunisia
- Jordan
- Panama
- Qatar
- Czech Republic
- Curacao
- Iraq
- Uruguay
- Saudi Arabia
- New Zealand