Wolrd Cup 2026: Six Teams secure round of 32 Places as knockout race intensifies

The FIFA World Cup 2026, hosted jointly by United States, Canada and Mexico, has produced thrilling action after the completion of Matchday Two, with several teams already securing places in the Round of 32 while others face elimination.

One of the biggest stories came in Group L, where England were surprisingly held to a goalless draw by Ghana in Boston.

Despite dominating possession and registering 19 shots, England could not find a breakthrough.

Nico O’Reilly struck the crossbar late on, while Marc Guehi saw a header cleared off the line in stoppage time.

Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare was among the standout performers as the Black Stars earned a valuable point.

Declan Rice and Iñaki Williams received yellow cards, while no red cards were shown.

Earlier in the group, Croatia defeated Panama 1-0 thanks to a 53rd-minute goal from Ante Budimir.

The narrow victory eliminated Panama from the tournament and revived Croatia's hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.

Across the tournament, several teams have already booked their places in the Round of 32.

Among those reported to have secured qualification are Mexico, United States, Germany, France, Norway, Argentina and Colombia.

Teams confirmed eliminated after two matches include Panama, Haiti, Turkey, Tunisia and Jordan.

The tournament’s highest-scoring matches so far have included England’s thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia and Portugal’s emphatic win over Uzbekistan, producing six goals each.

Meanwhile, the smallest winning margins have been numerous 1-0 results, including Ghana’s victory over Panama and Croatia’s success against Panama.

With the expanded 48-team format, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups and the eight best third-placed teams advance to the Round of 32.

This means several nations currently sitting third still have realistic hopes of qualification as “Best losers”.

Teams such as Ghana, Croatia, Australia, Paraguay, Ivory Coast, Netherlands, Japan, Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal and DR Congo remain firmly in contention heading into the decisive final round of group matches.

As Matchday Three approaches, the battle for qualification remains fierce, promising more drama, goals and unforgettable moments in football’s biggest tournament.