The World Cup Knockout Stage is officially set after the final group-stage fixtures in Groups J, K and L concluded with drama, goals and confirmation of the last teams heading into the Round of 32.
England and Argentina finished top of their respective groups, while DR Congo produced an impressive comeback victory to secure qualification.
England 2-0 Panama: Three Lions Finish Top of Group L
England secured top spot in Group L with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Panama.
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After a tightly contested first half, the Three Lions found another gear after the break, scoring twice in the second half to seal all three points and complete an unbeaten group-stage campaign.
The victory sees England finish top of Group L with seven points as they head confidently into the World Cup Knockout Stage.
Croatia 2-1 Ghana: Black Stars Suffer First Defeat
At the same time, Ghana faced Croatia in a decisive Group L encounter.
Croatia struck first in the opening half before Ghana responded with an equaliser, raising hopes of another positive result for the Black Stars.
However, Croatia restored their advantage and held on for a hard-fought 2-1 victory, handing Ghana their first defeat of the tournament.
Despite the loss, Ghana finished third in the group with four points enough to secure a place in the World Cup Knockout Stage.
England topped Group L with seven points, Croatia finished second with six points, and Ghana qualified in third with four points.
Portugal 0-0 Colombia: Stalemate Secures Qualification
Group K saw Portugal and Colombia play out a disciplined goalless draw.
Neither side could find the breakthrough despite creating chances, but the result proved enough for both nations to secure their places in the knockout rounds.
Colombia finished top of the group with seven points, while Portugal advanced in second place with five.
DR Congo 3-1 Uzbekistan: Leopards Fight Back
The Democratic Republic of Congo produced one of the comeback performances of the day.
After falling behind to Uzbekistan, the Leopards responded brilliantly, scoring three unanswered goals to claim a 3-1 victory.
The comeback earned DR Congo four points and a third-place finish in Group K, enough to send them into the World Cup Knockout Stage.
Uzbekistan’s World Cup journey comes to an end despite moments of promise during their debut tournament.
Argentina 3-1 Jordan: Defending Champions Stay Perfect
Argentina completed a flawless group-stage campaign with a 3-1 victory over Jordan.
The reigning world champions won all three of their group matches, collecting the maximum nine points and once again underlining why they remain among the favourites to lift the trophy.
Argentina finish top of Group J with a perfect record and head into the World Cup Knockout Stage full of confidence.
Algeria 3-3 Austria: Six-Goal Thriller Ends Group J
The final Group J fixture delivered one of the most entertaining matches of the group stage.
Algeria and Austria played out a dramatic 3-3 draw, with both teams trading goals throughout an end-to-end contest.
The point proved enough for both sides to progress.
Austria finished second in the group with four points, while Algeria also advanced in third place with four points.
Final Whistle
The World Cup Knockout Stage is now officially set.
England, Croatia and Ghana advanced from Group L. Colombia, Portugal and DR Congo progressed from Group K, while Argentina, Austria and Algeria booked their places from Group J.
With the group stage complete, the tournament now enters its most unforgiving phase. Every match from here is a knockout contest, where one victory keeps the dream alive and one defeat brings the journey to an end.
The race to become 2026 FIFA World Cup champions truly begins now.
