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The World Cup group stage can get complicated quickly.
With 48 teams participating for the first time ever, FIFA instituted new tiebreaker rules to determine the top two in each group along with the eight highest third-place finishers.
Below, FOX Sports Research has broken down what each team needs to advance, what results would send them through, and which scenarios could leave their fate hanging in the balance.
Here’s where every group stands heading into the next round of matches, and the simple scenarios for them to advance.
Note: Below scenarios are through all games played on June 25. Additionally, three points is now the minimum required for teams to advance as one of the eight third-place teams.
GROUP A SCENARIOS
- Mexico has won the group and will face a third-place team (from either Group C, E, F, H, or I) in the Round of 32 in Mexico City on June 30.
- South Africa finished as runner-up in the group, and will play Canada on June 28 in Los Angeles.
- South Korea finished third, and currently ranks sixth among the third-place teams.
- Czechia cannot advance to the knockout stage.
Mexico celebrates after securing the top spot in Group in the win vs. South Korea.
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GROUP B SCENARIOS
- Switzerland won the group and will play a third-place team (from either Group E, F, G, I, or J) in the Round of 32 in Vancouver on July 2.
- Canada finished as runner-up in the group and will play South Africa on June 28 in Los Angeles.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina finished third, and will play USA in the Round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara.
- Qatar cannot advance to the knockout stage.
GROUP C SCENARIOS
- Brazil won the group and will play Japan on June 29 in Houston.
- Morocco finished as runner-up of the group and will play the Netherlands on June 29 in Monterrey.
- Scotland finished in third, and currently ranks eighth among third-place teams.
- Haiti cannot advance to the knockout stage.
GROUP D SCENARIOS
- USA has already advanced and won the group, and will play a third-place team from Group B, E, F, I, or J in Santa Clara on July 1.
- Australia finished as runner-up of the group and will play the runner-up of Group G on July 3 in Arlington.
- Paraguay finished in third, and currently ranks fourth.
- Türkiye cannot advance to the knockout stage.
Folarin Balogoun of the U.S.
GROUP E SCENARIOS
- Germany has won the group and will play a third-place team from Group A, B, C, D, or F at Boston Stadium on June 29.
- Ivory Coast finished as runner-up of the group and will play the runner-up of Group I.
- Ecuador finished in third, and clinched a spot as a third-place team.
- Curaçao cannot advance to the knockout stage.
GROUP F SCENARIOS
- Netherlands won the group and will play Morocco on June 29 in Monterrey.
- Japan finished as runner-up of the group and will play Brazil on June 29 in Houson.
- Sweden finished third, and clinched a spot as a third-place team.
- Tunisia cannot advance to the knockout stage.
GROUP G SCENARIOS
- Egypt will advance with a win/draw OR Belgium loss/draw.
- Iran advances with a win OR a draw AND a Belgium draw, AND wins the tiebreaker with Belgium.
- Belgium advances with a win OR a draw AND an Iran loss, OR a draw AND an Iran draw, AND wins tiebreaker with Iran.
- New Zealand advances with a win AND an Iran loss/draw.
GROUP H SCENARIOS
- Spain will advance with a win/draw OR a loss AND a Cape Verde loss/draw.
- Uruguay advances with a win OR a draw AND a Cape Verde draw, AND wins tiebreaker with Cape Verde.
- Cape Verde advances with a win OR a draw AND an Uruguay loss, OR a draw AND an Uruguay draw, and wins tiebreaker with Uruguay.
- Saudi Arabia advances with a win AND an Uruguay loss/draw.
GROUP I SCENARIOS
- France and Norway have advanced.
- France will win the group with a win/draw.
- Norway will win the group with a win.
- Senegal can advance with a win, but it is not guaranteed.
- Senegal is eliminated with a loss.
- Iraq can advance with a win, but it is not guaranteed.
- Iraq cannot advance to the knockout stage with a draw/loss.
GROUP J SCENARIOS
Argentina has won the group and will face the runner-up of Group H in Miami on July 3.
- Austria will advance with a win or draw; in a draw, the runner-up will be decided by tiebreakers.
- Algeria will advance with a win or draw; in a draw, the runner-up will be decided by tiebreakers.
- Jordan cannot advance to the knockout stage.
Lionel Messi of Argentina.
GROUP K SCENARIOS
- Colombia has advanced.
- Colombia will win the group with a win or draw.
- Portugal will advance with a win or draw, and will win the group with a win.
- Uzbekistan can advance with a win, but it is not guaranteed.
GROUP L SCENARIOS
- England will advance with a win/draw.
- England will win the group with a win AND a Ghana draw/loss.
- Ghana will advance with a win/draw.
- Ghana will win the group with a win AND an England draw/loss.
- Panama cannot advance to the knockout stage.
