This 48-team extravaganza is the biggest World Cup there has ever been, and it might just be the most complex too. Twelve groups of four teams might be enough to follow in the first place, but those fans of brackets who have a familiarity of past tournaments might have a sense of what the issue is here. A dozen groups do not a round-robin path to the final easily make.
As such, eight of the 12 groups will send their third-place team to the first knockout rounds, meaning 72 games will be required to trim a third off this field. Those third-place teams will be ranked first by the points they accrue and then by goal difference, goals scored, their team conduct score (yellow and red cards), and then their FIFA ranking.
In short, this could get complicated. There’s going to be a lot to follow, an awful lot of permutations that might, for example, decide whether Scotland get through and Sweden don’t. Catch up with all the standings below.
Group A
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 2 | South Korea | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | Czechia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| 4 | South Africa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
Thursday, June 11
Mexico 2, South Africa 0
South Korea 2, Czechia 1
Thursday, June 18
Czechia vs. South Africa, 12 p.m.
Mexico vs. South Korea, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, June 24
Czechia vs. Mexico, 9 p.m.
South Africa vs. South Korea, 9 p.m.
Group B
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Bosnia & Herz. | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Qatar | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Switzerland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Friday, June 12
Canada 1, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1
Saturday, June 13
Qatar 1, Switzerland 1
Thursday, June 18
Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 3 p.m.
Canada vs. Qatar, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, June 24
Switzerland vs. Canada, 3 p.m.
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar, 3 p.m.
Group C
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scotland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 2 | Morocco | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Brazil | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Haiti | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
Saturday, June 13
Brazil 1, Morocco 1
Scotland 1, Haiti 0
Friday, June 19
Scotland vs. Morocco, 6 p.m.
Brazil vs. Haiti, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, June 24
Scotland vs. Brazil, 6 p.m.
Morocco vs. Haiti, 6 p.m.
Group D
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| 2 | Australia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 3 | Turkiye | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Paraguay | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
Friday, June 12
USA 4, Paraguay 1
Saturday, June 13
Australia 2, Turkiye 0
Friday, June 19
USA vs. Australia, 3 p.m.
Turkiye vs. Paraguay, 12 a.m.
Thursday, June 25
Turkiye vs. USA, 10 p.m.
Paraguay vs. Australia, 10 p.m.
Group E
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 2 | Ivory Coast | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Ecuador | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4 | Curacao | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 0 |
Sunday, June 14
Germany 7, Curacao 1
Ivory Coast 1, Ecuador 0
Saturday, June 20
Germany vs. Ivory Coast, 4 p.m.
Ecuador vs. Curacao, 8 p.m.
Thursday, June 25
Ecuador vs. Germany, 4 p.m.
Curacao vs. Ivory Coast, 4 p.m.
Group F
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sweden | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 3 |
| 2 | Japan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Tunisia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
Sunday, June 14
Netherlands 2, Japan 2
Sweden 5, Tunisia 1
Saturday, June 20
Netherlands vs. Sweden, 1 p.m.
Tunisia vs. Japan, 12 a.m.
Thursday, June 25
Japan vs. Sweden, 7 p.m.
Tunisia vs. Netherlands, 7 p.m.
Group G
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Iran | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Egypt | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Belgium | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Monday, June 15
Belgium 1, Egypt 1
Iran 2, New Zealand 2
Sunday, June 21
Belgium vs. Iran, 3 p.m.
New Zealand vs. Egypt, 9 p.m.
Friday, June 26
Egypt vs. Iran, 11 p.m.
New Zealand vs. Belgium, 11 p.m.
Group H
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Spain | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Cabo Verde | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Monday, June 15
Spain 0, Cabo Verde 0
Saudi Arabia 1, Uruguay 1
Sunday, June 21
Spain vs. Saudi Arabia, 12 p.m.
Uruguay vs. Cabo Verde, 6 p.m.
Friday, June 26
Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia, 8 p.m.
Uruguay vs. Spain, 8 p.m.
Group I
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Senegal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Norway | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Iraq | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tuesday, June 16
France vs. Senegal, 3 p.m.
Iraq vs. Norway, 6 p.m.
Monday, June 22
France vs. Iraq, 5 p.m.
Norway vs. Senegal, 8 p.m.
Friday, June 26
Norway vs. France, 3 p.m.
Senegal vs. Iraq, 3 p.m.
Group J
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Austria | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Algeria | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Jordan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tuesday, June 16
Argentina vs. Algeria, 9 p.m.
Austria vs. Jordan, 12 a.m.
Monday, June 22
Argentina vs. Austria, 1 p.m.
Jordan vs. Algeria, 11 p.m.
Saturday, June 27
Algeria vs. Austria, 10 p.m.
Jordan vs. Argentina, 10 p.m.
Group K
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portugal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Colombia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DR Congo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Uzbekistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wednesday, June 17
Portugal vs. DR Congo, 1 p.m.
Uzbekistan vs. Colombia, 10 p.m.
Tuesday, June 23
Portugal vs. Uzbekistan, 1 p.m.
Colombia vs. DR Congo, 10 p.m.
Saturday, June 27
Colombia vs. Portugal, 7:30 p.m.
DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan, 7:30 p.m.
Group L
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Croatia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Ghana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Panama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wednesday, June 17
England vs. Croatia, 4 p.m.
Ghana vs. Panama, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, June 23
England vs. Ghana, 4 p.m.
Panama vs. Croatia, 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 27
Panama vs. England, 5 p.m.
Croatia vs. Ghana, 5 p.m.
