World Cup 2026 Group A final standings: Results and teams qualified for the round of 32
South Africa made history on Friday, beating South Korea to join Mexico in Group A’s top two. The Asians now face an anxious wait.
Mexico have registered a 100% group-stage record for the first time at a men’s World Cup - and will be joined in the next round by South Africa, who secured an unprecedented knockout-phase place on Friday.
Beaten by the South Africans on Group A matchday three, South Korea must now wait to find out whether their third-place finish will be enough for a last-32 berth.
What happened on Group A matchday three?
Having already clinched top spot with wins over South Africa and South Korea, the Mexicans made it three victories from three, sweeping past Czechia with three unanswered second-half goals. Mateo Chávez, Julián Quiñones and Álvaro Fidalgo all netted for the co-hosts, who have not only picked up maximum points - but are yet to concede at this summer’s tournament.
Defeat in Mexico City eliminated Czechia, who failed to win a single Group A game and have finished bottom of the section.
Both the Czechs and the South Koreans were leapfrogged by South Africa, who had begun matchday three in fourth place. A team that had never previously negotiated a men’s World Cup group stage, Bafana Bafana stamped a historic last-32 ticket thanks to Thapelo Maseko’s second-half strike in Monterrey.
With South Africa unexpectedly claiming Group A’s second automatic berth in the knockouts, South Korea’s fate now hangs in the balance. Having slipped out of the top two, Hong Myung-bo’s men won’t know until Saturday, when the group stage concludes, whether their record of three points and a -1 goal difference will take them through as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
Who will Mexico and South Africa face in the round of 32?
South Africa will now play Group B runners-up Canada in the round of 32. That clash takes place on Sunday, June 28, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Mexico, meanwhile, are yet to learn the identity of their next opponent. El Tri will meet a third-place finisher from one of five groups: C, E, F, H or I. The Mexicans do know, though, that they will play their last-32 game in Mexico City on Tuesday, June 30.
Group A: results
Matchday one:
Matchday two:
Matchday three:
Group A: final standings
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico (Q) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 9 |
| South Africa (Q) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 4 |
| South Korea* | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| Czechia (E) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 1 |
*Could qualify for the round of 32 as one of the eight best third-placed finishers
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