16 Teams Eliminated in Group Stage, Uruguay Out Without a Win

Two-time champions Uruguay have also been eliminated in the group stage without securing a single win. After the conclusion of the group stage matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the 32 teams advancing to the knockout rounds have been finalized. This edition of the World Cup features an expanded field of 48 teams, with the top teams from 12 groups advancing to the knockout stage.

Kathmandu – With all 72 group stage matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 completed, the final list of 32 teams progressing to the knockout phase has been confirmed, while 16 teams have been eliminated in the group stage. Among these is two-time former champion Uruguay, who exited without a single victory. This tournament expanded participation to 48 teams, and in addition to group winners and runners-up, the best eight third-placed teams also qualified for the knockout rounds. However, Uruguay failed to qualify via this route.

The group stage matches were organized across 12 groups. The 12 teams finishing fourth in their groups, along with four third-placed teams that did not make the cutoff, totaling 16 teams, saw their World Cup journey end at the group stage. Among the third-place teams that failed to qualify are Uruguay, South Korea, Iran, and Scotland. Meanwhile, teams finishing last in their groups include the Czech Republic, Qatar, Haiti, Turkey, Curaçao, Tunisia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan, Uzbekistan, and Panama.