FIFA brackets 2026 tightened on Day 14 as France, Argentina, Germany, Morocco, Canada, Switzerland and South Africa moved into the knockouts. Qatar and the Czech Republic went out, and Scotland were left with a final route still alive through the eight best third-placed teams.
France, Argentina, Germany
France beat Iraq 3-0 to book their place, with Michael Olise setting up two goals and Kylian Mbappe scoring twice for the second match in a row. Didier Deschamps will miss Friday’s match against Norway after the death of his mother, a change that lands just as France prepare to decide who tops the group.
Argentina reached the same stage with another clean sheet, and Lionel Messi now has all five of their goals across two wins. He became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer after his double against Austria, while Cristian Romero came off because of a knee injury.
Germany and Group E
Germany beat the Ivory Coast 2-1 to secure progression at the top of Group E. Julian Nagelsmann’s side have now reached the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time since 2014, when Germany lifted the trophy.
Deniz Undav scored a brace off the bench in that win, while Germany also arrived on Day 14 with a 7-1 result over Curacao already in the run of results that pushed them through. Felix Nmecha also appeared in the day’s German push, which left the group picture settled at the top and kept the knockout path moving.
Scotland and third places
Vinicius Junior shaped the other side of the bracket with two goals in Brazil’s 3-0 win over Scotland, taking his World Cup tally to four. Steve Clark’s side were not eliminated outright because they may still progress as one of the eight best third-placed teams, and that route is the last moving part after six nations played their final group matches on Day 14.
That is where the bracket now stands: seven teams have already moved into the knockouts on the day, two have been eliminated, and France’s meeting with Norway on Friday will settle only who tops the group. The unresolved third-place places are the final gate into the round of 32, and Scotland sit right on that edge.
