2026 World Cup: Countries that have qualified for the round of 32

Mexico, USA and Germany Become First Teams to Reach 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32

The first teams to secure qualification for the Round of 32 at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup have officially been confirmed, with Mexico, the United States, and Germany becoming the earliest nations to book their places in the knockout stages.

The 2026 edition of the tournament features an expanded 48-team format, introducing a Round of 32 as the first knockout phase. After impressive starts to their respective campaigns, the three nations have all secured progression with one group-stage match still to play.

Mexico Lead the Way

Mexico became the first country to qualify for the knockout rounds after recording consecutive victories in Group A. El Tri opened their campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over South Africa before edging South Korea 1-0 in their second match.

The six points earned from those victories were enough to guarantee Mexico a place in the Round of 32.

USA Follow Suit

Co-hosts the United States soon joined Mexico among the qualified teams. Managed by Mauricio Pochettino, the Americans began their tournament with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Paraguay before defeating Australia 2-0 in their second group fixture.

The back-to-back wins moved the USA to six points and secured their progression to the knockout phase.

Germany Seal Qualification

Germany became the third nation to advance from the group stage after another strong start to their World Cup campaign. The four-time world champions opened with a dominant 7-1 victory over Curaçao before coming from behind to defeat Ivory Coast 2-1.

Their qualification was later mathematically confirmed following Ecuador’s draw with Curaçao, ensuring Germany could not be overtaken in the standings.

More Teams Expected to Join

With several group-stage matches still to be played, more nations are expected to confirm their places in the Round of 32 over the coming days as the race for World Cup glory gathers momentum.

Countries Qualified for the Round of 32

• Mexico

• United States

• Germany

The Round of 32 is scheduled to begin on June 28, with the world’s best teams set to battle for a place in the latter stages of football’s biggest tournament.