The group stage enters its decisive stretch as several teams look to secure passage to the Round of 32, while others fight to keep their World Cup dreams alive. Here is a look at the six matches on deck and where each team stands heading into the final round of group action.
Curacao vs Ivory Coast (Group E)
4:00 AM (PHT)
Curacao enters the match with everything still to play for despite sitting third in Group E with one point. After suffering a heavy 7-1 loss to Germany in its opener, Curacao responded with a disciplined scoreless draw against Ecuador to stay alive in the tournament.
Ivory Coast sits second in Group E with three points after opening its campaign with a 1-0 victory over Ecuador before falling 2-1 to Germany. Led by winger Amad Diallo, the Elephants control their own destiny and can secure a Round of 32 berth with a positive result. A win would guarantee qualification regardless of the outcome of the other group match.
Key Players:
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- Curacao: Livano Comenencia
- Ivory Coast: Franck Kessie
Ecuador vs Germany (Group E)
4:00 AM (PHT)
Ecuador finds itself in a must-win situation after collecting just one point from its first two matches. La Tri suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast before being held to a 0-0 draw by Curacao.
Germany has already qualified for the Round of 32 after winning its opening two matches. Die Mannschaft dismantled Curacao 7-1 before edging Ivory Coast 2-1 to take sole possession of first place in Group E with six points. With their upcoming match, Germany aims to maintain their perfect record.
Key Players:
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- Ecuador: Moises Caicedo
- Germany: Deniz Undav
Japan vs Sweden (Group F)
7:00 AM (PHT)
Japan enters the final matchday level on points with the Netherlands atop Group F. The Samurai Blue opened with a 2-2 draw against the Dutch before producing a commanding 4-0 victory over Tunisia.
Sweden remains firmly in the qualification race despite a mixed start to the tournament. After routing Tunisia 5-1, the Swedes stumbled against the Netherlands in a 5-1 defeat. Yasin Ayari remains Sweden’s biggest attacking threat as they seek a result that could propel them into the knockout stage.
Key Players:
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- Japan: Ayase Ueda
- Sweden: Yasin Ayari
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STANDING’S for round of 32 so far
Qualified:-
Eliminated :-pic.twitter.com/b3DBFnAIUN
— FIFA World Cup 2026 (@FIFAWC26Updates) June 25, 2026
Tunisia vs Netherlands (Group F)
7:00 AM (PHT)
Tunisia has already been eliminated after back-to-back defeats to Sweden and Japan. The North Africans conceded nine goals across those two matches and will now look to salvage pride in their final World Cup outing.
The Netherlands entered the match in a strong position after collecting four points from its first two games. The Dutch drew Japan 2-2 before producing an impressive 5-1 victory over Sweden. The Netherlands can secure a Round of 32 berth with a favorable result and potentially finish atop Group F.
Key Players:
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- Tunisia: Omar Rekik
- Netherlands: Virgil van Dijk
Paraguay vs Australia (Group D)
10:00 AM (PHT)
Paraguay remains in contention for a knockout-round berth after earning a crucial 1-0 victory over Turkiye in its previous match. Paraguay seeks another important result that could send them through to the Round of 32.
Australia will try to revive its campaign after a vital 2-0 defeat over the United States in their previous match. They will rely on defender Harry Souttar and Connor Metcalfe to anchor the back line in a match that could determine their World Cup future.
Key Players:
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- Paraguay: Julio Enciso
- Australia: Connor Metcalfe
Turkiye vs United States (Group D)
10:00 AM (PHT)
Turkiye enters under pressure following a narrow defeat to Australia and Paraguay that complicated their path to the knockout rounds.The Turks look to bounce back and stay in the race.
The United States opened its campaign in impressive fashion, cruising to a 4-1 victory over Paraguay before following it up with a 2-0 win over Australia to secure a spot in the Round of 32. Riding the momentum of back-to-back victories, the Americans will look to maintain their winning form when they take on Türkiye in their final group-stage match.
Key Players:
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- Turkiye: Abdulkerim Bardakci
- United States: Folarin Balogun
With qualification spots, group titles, and World Cup survival all on the line, the final round of group-stage matches promises drama across every kickoff as teams battle for their place in the Round of 32.
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