These are the 16 teams eliminated from the 2026 World Cup: Who’s going home after the group stage?

The 2026 World Cup group stage is officially in the books, and with it comes the first major round of heartbreak. With the expanded 48-team format, more nations than ever had a chance to dream. And thanks to the new structure, where eight third-place teams also advance, more teams stayed alive deeper into the group stage than in any previous tournament.

But now, the math is final. Sixteen teams are heading home after failing to reach the knockout rounds, while 32 move on to the business end of the tournament. And while there were a few feel-good moments along the way, there were also some notable exits.

The full list of eliminated teams

Here’s every team eliminated after the group stage at the 2026 World Cup:

• Group A: South Korea (3 points), Czechia (1 point)
• Group B: Qatar (1 point)
• Group C: Scotland (3 points), Haiti (0 points)
• Group D: Turkiye (3 points)
• Group E: Curaçao (1 point)
• Group F: Tunisia (0 points)
• Group G: Iran (2 points), New Zealand (1 point)
• Group H: Uruguay (2 points), Saudi Arabia (2 points)
• Group I: Iraq (0 points)
• Group J: Jordan (0 points)
• Group K: Uzbekistan (0 points)
• Group L: Panama (0 points)

The biggest surprises

Since this year’s tournament was designed to give more teams a pathway to the knockout rounds, there weren’t many shock eliminations, but one definitely stands out above the rest.

Uruguay’s exit is easily the most surprising result of the group stage. A nation with deep World Cup pedigree and expectations of making a run, Uruguay couldn’t find enough consistency and was edged out despite finishing with two points.

Elsewhere, Turkiye and South Korea will feel they left opportunities on the table after finishing with three points but still falling short in the new format that allowed some third-place teams to advance.

What the new format changed

The expanded format played a huge role in shaping this list. In previous World Cups, many of these teams would have been eliminated earlier or never qualified at all. This time, more matches mattered deeper into the group stage, and more teams had a realistic shot at advancing.

At the same time, it also meant that simply being competitive wasn’t always enough. Goal difference, head-to-head results, and close scores ultimately decided who stayed and who went home.

What comes next

With the group stage complete, the tournament now moves into knockout mode, where there are no second chances. For the 32 teams still standing, the path to lifting the trophy is now clear.

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