Ecuador, Côte d’Ivoire and the Netherlands booked their places in the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage as the final round of Groups D, E and F produced dramatic qualification battles and surprise results.
Ecuador, Côte d’Ivoire and the Netherlands secured places in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 after strong performances in the final round of Group D, E and F matches on Friday, June 26, while Germany and co-hosts the United States suffered costly defeats that reshaped the knockout picture.
The biggest surprise of the day came at New York/New Jersey Stadium in New Jersey, where Ecuador defeated Germany 2-1 to finish second in Group E and advance to the knockout stage. The loss ended Germany’s unbeaten run in the tournament, although the four-time champions also progressed after topping the group on goal difference.
At Philadelphia Stadium, Côte d’Ivoire completed an impressive group-stage campaign with a 2-0 victory over Curaçao, securing qualification after finishing level on points with Germany but behind on goal difference.
In Group F, the Netherlands advanced with a convincing 3-1 victory over Tunisia at Kansas City Stadium, while Japan and Sweden shared the points in a 1-1 draw at Dallas Stadium. The result ensured Sweden progressed as group winners, with the Netherlands joining them in the knockout rounds.
Group D produced mixed fortunes for the co-hosts. Türkiye edged the United States 3-2 in an entertaining five-goal contest at Los Angeles Stadium, handing the Americans their first defeat of the tournament. Despite the loss, the United States had already secured qualification after finishing second in the group.
In the group’s other fixture, Australia and Paraguay played out a scoreless draw at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, with neither side able to find the breakthrough.
With the conclusion of Groups D, E and F, the Round of 32 lineup continues to take shape as the remaining qualification places will be decided following the final round of group-stage matches.
Results — Friday, June 26
- Group E: Côte d’Ivoire 2-0 Curaçao — Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia
- Group E: Ecuador 2-1 Germany — New York/New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey
- Group F: Japan 1-1 Sweden — Dallas Stadium, Dallas
- Group F: Netherlands 3-1 Tunisia — Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City
- Group D: Türkiye 3-2 United States — Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles
- Group D: Paraguay 0-0 Australia — San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area
