South Africa Make History as Mexico Top Group A
South Africa made FIFA World Cup history by securing their first-ever World Cup victory and qualifying for the knockout stages for the first time after a dramatic Group A campaign.
Mexico topped the group with a perfect record, opening with a 2-0 victory over South Africa before edging South Korea 1-0 and finishing strongly with a 3-0 win over Czechia. El Tri ended the group stage with nine points and a commanding goal difference of +6.
The battle for second place went down to the final matchday, where South Africa defeated South Korea 1-0 in a historic result. Combined with their earlier 1-1 draw against Czechia, the victory lifted Bafana Bafana to four points and secured a place in the Round of 32.
South Korea began brightly with a 2-1 win over Czechia but suffered narrow defeats to Mexico and South Africa, leaving them in third place with three points. Their World Cup hopes are not over, however, as they remain in contention for one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed qualification spots.
Czechia finished bottom of the group with one point after a draw against South Africa and defeats to South Korea and Mexico.
Final Group A Standings
| GROUP A | |||||||
| TEAM | MP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
| 1 | MEXICO | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| 2 | SOUTH AFRICA | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
| 3 | SOUTH KOREA | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 4 | CZECHIA | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -4 | 1 |
Switzerland Win Group B as Canada Qualify; Bosnia Await Best Third-Place Verdict
Switzerland secured top spot in Group B of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after defeating Canada 2-1 in a decisive final group-stage encounter, finishing unbeaten with seven points from three matches.
The Swiss began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Qatar before producing a dominant 4-1 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their final-day success against Canada ensured they finished first in the group with a goal difference of +4.
Canada claimed second place and a place in the Round of 32 despite their final-day defeat. After opening the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Canadians delivered one of the most impressive performances of the group stage by thrashing Qatar 6-0. That emphatic victory proved crucial, as Canada finished level on four points with Bosnia but advanced thanks to a superior goal difference.
Bosnia and Herzegovina ended the group stage in third place with four points after a crucial 3-1 victory over Qatar. Their strong finish, combined with results elsewhere, was enough to secure one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed qualification spots. The Dragons have therefore booked their place in the Round of 32, keeping their FIFA World Cup 2026 dream alive and becoming one of the standout third-placed teams to advance to the knockout stages.
For Qatar, the tournament ended in disappointment. After earning a respectable draw against Switzerland in their opening match, consecutive defeats to Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina saw them finish bottom of the group with just one point.
Final Group B Standings
| GROUP B | |||||||
| TEAM | MP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | |
| 1 | SWITZERLAND | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
| 2 | CANADA | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| 3 | BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
| 4 | QATAR | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -8 | 1 |
Brazil Edge Morocco to Top Spot in Group C
Haiti’s World Cup campaign ended without a point despite scoring twice in their final match against Morocco.
Brazil finished top of Group C at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after an unbeaten group-stage campaign, edging Morocco on goal difference despite both nations finishing level on seven points.
The group opened with Brazil and Morocco sharing the spoils in a hard-fought 1-1 draw, while Scotland claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Haiti. Morocco then took a significant step towards qualification with a 1-0 win over Scotland, as Brazil comfortably defeated Haiti 3-0.
On the final matchday, Brazil confirmed first place with an impressive 3-0 victory over Scotland, showcasing their attacking quality and defensive solidity. Morocco also ended their campaign strongly, defeating Haiti 4-2 to secure second place and a return to the knockout rounds.
Scotland finished third with three points, after victories proved hard to come by following their opening-day success against Haiti. Their -3 goal difference leaves them relying on results elsewhere as they chase one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed qualification spots.
Haiti’s World Cup campaign ended without a point, despite scoring twice in their final match against Morocco.
Final Group C Standings
| GROUP C | ||||||||
| TEAM | MP | W | D | L | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | BRAZIL | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7 | |
| 2 | MOROCCO | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | |
| 3 | SCOTLAND | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -3 | 3 | |
| 4 | HAITI | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -4 | 0 | |
