After dramatic Repechage matches, the teams from Bosnia, Czechia, Sweden, Turkey, Iraq and DR Congo sealed their qualification, completing the 48 participating countries in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Thus, the group stage that started on June 11 was completed with the ticket obtained by the 4 European countries (from the Repechage that brought together 16 candidates) and by 2 more countries from a vibrant league with 6 nations played in Mexico.
In a penalty kick shootout that followed overtime in which the tie persisted, the Czech Republic eliminated Denmark (3-1, they had tied the game 2-2) and Bosnia eliminated Italy (4-1, they had tied the game 1-1). The Italians will surprisingly miss the World Cup for the third consecutive time.
The other two European qualifiers are Turkey, which left Kosovo behind after winning 1-0, and Sweden, which beat Poland 3-2, being the executioner of the generation led by Robert Lewandowski.
On the other hand, in the intercontinental playoff played in the Mexican cities of Guadalajara and Monterrey, the Democratic Republic of the Congo sealed its visa at the expense of Jamaica after its narrow victory (1-0).
And the last free spot was in the power of Iraq defeated a worthy Bolivian team 2-1.
In this way, the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup, the first organized by three countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada, and with 48 nations, will have 104 matches beginning on June 11 at the Azteca stadium with the clash between the Mexican host team “El Tricolor” against South Africa.
This greatest celebration on the planet football will be defined on July 17 in the grand final scheduled at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA (Very close to Manhattan, New York).
The initial phase, grouped into 12 groups, will be defined after 72 matches to qualify 32 teams for the second round.
– Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Republic of Korea and Czech Republic
– Group B: Canada, Bosnia, Qatar and Switzerland
– Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti and Scotland
– Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye
– Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador
– Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden and Tunisia
– Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand
– Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay
– Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq and Norway
– Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria and Jordan
– Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Colombia and Uzbekistan
– Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama
Group stage clashes
This is the schedule of matches for the initial group stage of the 2026 World Cup:
– Thursday June 11:
Mexico vs. South Africa (Group A)
At Azteca Banorte Stadium in Mexico City
South Korea vs. Czech Republic (Group A)
At Akron Stadium in Guadalajara
– Friday, June 12
Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B)
At BMO Field in Toronto
United States vs. Paraguay (Group D)
At SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (California)
– Saturday June 13
Qatar vs. Switzerland (Group B)
At Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara (California)
Brazil vs. Morocco (Group C)
At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Haiti vs. Scotland (Group C)
At Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
Australia vs. Türkiye (Group D)
At BC Place in Vancouver
– Sunday June 14
Germany vs. Curacao (Group E)
At NRG Stadium in Houston (Texas)
Netherlands vs. Japan (Group F)
At AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador (Group E
At Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
Sweden vs. Tunisia (Group F)
At BBVA Stadium in Monterrey
– Monday, June 15
Spain vs. Cape Verde (Group H)
At Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (Georgia)
Belgium vs. Egypt (Group G)
At Lumen Field in Seattle (Washington)
Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay (Group H)
At Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens
Iran vs. New Zealand (Group G)
At SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (California)
– Tuesday June 16
France vs. Senegal (Group I)
At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Iraq vs. Norway (Group I)
At Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
Argentina vs. Algeria (Group J)
At GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
Austria vs. Jordan (Group J)
At Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara (California)
– Wednesday June 17
Portugal vs. DR Congo (Group K)
At NRG Stadium in Houston (Texas)
England vs. Croatia (Group L)
At AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Ghana vs. – Panama (Group L)
At BMO Field in Toronto
Uzbekistan vs. Colombia (Group K)
At Azteca Banorte Stadium in Mexico City
– Thursday June 18
Czech Republic vs. South Africa (Group A)
At Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (Georgia)
Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B)
At SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (California)
Canada vs. Qatar (Group B)
At BC Place Stadium in Vancouver
Mexico vs. South Korea (Group A)
At Akron Stadium in Guadalajara
– Friday, June 19
United States vs. Australia (Group D)
At Lumen Field in Seattle (Washington)
Scotland vs. Morocco (Group C)
At Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
Brazil vs. Haiti (Group C)
At Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
Türkiye vs. Paraguay (Group D)
At Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara (California)
– Saturday June 20
Netherlands vs. Sweden (Group F)
At NRG Stadium in Houston (Texas)
Germany vs. Ivory Coast Group E)
At BMO Field in Toronto
Ecuador vs. Curacao (Group E)
At GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
Tunisia vs. Japan (Group F)
At BBVA Stadium in Monterrey
– Sunday June 21
Spain vs. Saudi Arabia (Group H)
At Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (Georgia)
Belgium vs. Iran (Group G)
At SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (California)
Uruguay vs. Cape Verde (Group H)
At Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens
New Zealand vs. Egypt (Group G)
At BC Place Stadium in Vancouver
– Monday June 22
Argentina vs. Austria (Group J)
At AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
France vs. Iraq (Group I)
At Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
Norway vs. Senegal (Group I)
At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Jordan vs. Algeria (Group J)
At Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara (California)
– Tuesday June 23
Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (Group K)
At NRG Stadium in Houston (Texas)
England vs. Ghana (Group L)
At Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
Panama vs. Croatia (Group L)
At BMO Field in Toronto
Colombia vs. DR Congo (Group K)
At Akron Stadium in Guadalajara
– Wednesday, June 24
Switzerland vs. Canada (Group B)
At BC Place Stadium in Vancouver
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar (Group B)
At Lumen Field in Seattle (Washington)
Scotland vs. Brazil (Group C)
At Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens
Morocco vs. Haiti (Group C)
At Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (Georgia)
Czech Republic vs. Mexico (Group A)
At Azteca Banorte Stadium in Mexico City
South Africa vs. South Korea (Group A)
At BBVA Stadium in Monterrey
– Thursday June 25
Curacao vs. Ivory Coast (Group E)
At Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
Ecuador vs. Germany (Group E)
At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Japan vs. Sweden (Group F)
At AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Tunisia vs. Netherlands (Group F)
At GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
Türkiye vs. United States (Group D)
At SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (California)
Paraguay vs. Australia (Group D)
At Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara (California)
– Friday, June 26
Norway vs. France (Group I)
At Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
Senegal vs. Iraq (Group I)
At BMO Field in Toronto
Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (Group H)
At NRG Stadium in Houston (Texas)
Uruguay vs. Spain (Group H)
At Akron Stadium, in Guadalajara
Egypt vs. Iran (Group G)
At Lumen Field in Seattle (Washington)
New Zealand vs. Belgium (Group G)
At BC Place Stadium in Vancouver
– Saturday June 27
Panama vs. England (Group L)
At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Croatia vs. Ghana (Group L)
At Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
Colombia vs. Portugal (Group K)
At Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens
DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan (Group K)
At Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (Georgia)
Algeria vs. Austria (Group J)
At GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
Jordan vs. Argentina (Group J)
At AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
(With EFE report)
