While several established football nations were expected to progress, the round produced notable surprises, including the early elimination of Uruguay, Korea Republic, Türkiye, Scotland, and Iran, alongside debutants Uzbekistan and Curaçao, who exited after spirited but ultimately insufficient campaigns.
Africa, meanwhile, enjoyed one of its strongest collective performances in recent memory, with nine of its 10 representatives advancing to the knockout stage. Tunisia was the only African side to fall short, finishing bottom of Group F without a point.
Teams Eliminated After Group Stage (16)
Haiti
Tunisia
Türkiye
Jordan
Panama
Qatar
Czechia
Curaçao
Iraq
Uruguay
Saudi Arabia
New Zealand
Scotland
Uzbekistan
Korea Republic
IR Iran
Notable Exits and Close Misses
Some of the eliminated teams departed in particularly frustrating circumstances despite showing promise.
Scotland, for instance, finished third in Group C but narrowly missed out on qualification as one of the best third-placed teams. Similarly, Iran remained unbeaten with three draws but still failed to advance, underscoring how tight the margins were in the group stage.
Uruguay’s exit stood out as one of the biggest shocks of the round. The former semi-finalists ended third in Group H with just two points, unable to find the consistency required to progress.
Korea Republic also fell short, finishing third in Group A behind Mexico and South Africa, while debutants Uzbekistan and Curaçao earned praise for competitive displays despite bowing out.
Knockout Stage Begins
With the group phase concluded, attention now shifts to the Round of 32, which begins on Sunday. The remaining 32 teams will now compete in a straight knockout format as the tournament moves into its decisive phase, where every match carries elimination pressure.