The 2026 World Cup group stage
The 2026 World Cup group stage, expanded to 48 teams and 72 matches, delivered a feast of football across three host nations, but not every favorite could translate promise into progress.
Among the heavyweights, several nations that had hoped to surprise ended up as the tournament’s most disappointing stories, exiting the competition with more questions than answers.
Teams that missed the knockout cut
South Korea opened with a win but faltered against Mexico and South Africa, a result that saw their coach Hong Myung‑bo step down in the aftermath.
Scotland’s first World Cup win in 36 years sparked celebration, yet a narrow defeat left them just short of the knockout round, prompting manager Steve Clarke to vacate his post.
Türkiye’s attack sputtered, generating 62 shots across two matches without finding the net, a statistic that underscored a finishing problem for a young squad.
Tunisia’s campaign unraveled quickly; after an opening loss, manager Sabri Lamouchi was dismissed, and the team finished winless.
Uruguay’s tournament concluded with a 1‑0 loss to Spain, and speculation now surrounds Marcelo Bielsa’s future as national team boss.
Portugal’s group stage was a study in inconsistency; despite Cristiano Ronaldo logging more minutes than any other player, the side slipped to a defeat against Colombia.
A coaching shake‑up
The early exits triggered a cascade of coaching changes, with Hong Myung‑bo, Steve Clarke, Sabri Lamouchi and Marcelo Bielsa all exiting their posts in the wake of elimination.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s record‑breaking minutes highlighted a tournament where individual milestones could not mask collective disappointment, leaving several federations to reassess their approaches ahead of the knockout phase.