With the FIFA World Cup 2026 in full swing, it's time to take a closer look at the teams that have made it through to the knockout stages. Here's a re-ranking of the 48 teams after the first 20 matches, with a focus on the teams that have emerged as contenders and those that have fallen short.
France (FIFA ranking: 2)
France continues to dominate the tournament, with a 3-0 win over Sweden cementing their top spot. Kylian Mbappe's goal-scoring prowess and Michael Olise's assists have been key to their success. With a 29% chance of winning the World Cup according to The Athletic's live projection tool, France looks set to reach their third consecutive World Cup final.Argentina (FIFA ranking: 1)
Lionel Messi's six goals have made him the tournament's top scorer, and Argentina's three convincing wins in Group J have seen them comfortably through to the knockout stages. They'll face Cape Verde in the round of 32 and Australia or Egypt in the round of 16.Brazil (FIFA ranking: 5)
Brazil made light work of Scotland and Haiti, but concerns over their performance in the draw with Morocco have been raised. Gabriel Martinelli's added-time winner against Japan was a crucial moment, and Brazil's midfield has been a net positive. They'll face Norway or the Ivory Coast in the next round.Spain (FIFA ranking: 3)
Spain's 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia was their most convincing, and they showed how they might frustrate sides in the knockouts. They'll face Austria next.England (FIFA ranking: 4)
England's performance against Croatia in the opening game was impressive, but their stodgier displays in the draws with Ghana and Panama have raised concerns. Manager Thomas Tuchel's right-back crisis has left him short of options. They'll face DR Congo in the last 32 and Mexico in Mexico City in the last 16 if they win.Mexico (FIFA ranking: 9)
Mexico have qualified for the round of 16 with a perfect record and without conceding a goal. Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez have been dependable goal threats, and their home support in Mexico City for the Ecuador game was incredible. They'll face England in the last 16 if they get past DR Congo.Morocco (FIFA ranking: 6)
Morocco's round-of-32 victory against the Netherlands shows their run to the Qatar 2022 semi-finals was no fluke. Manager Mohamed Ouahbi has nurtured the next generation, and they can now consistently compete with the heavy hitters. They'll face Canada in the last 16.Norway (FIFA ranking: 23)
Norway has reached the last 16 for only the third time in their history, and their defense stood tall against the Ivory Coast. Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland made crucial saves, and they'll face Brazil in the next round.Colombia (FIFA ranking: 11)
Colombia's wins over Uzbekistan and DR Congo, though not entirely convincing, were enough to confirm progression with a match to spare. They'll face Ghana in the round of 32.United States (FIFA ranking: 15)
The U.S. have brought great excitement to the tournament with their positive and adventurous football. They'll face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32.Portugal (FIFA ranking: 8)
Cristiano Ronaldo's brace against Uzbekistan was impressive, but his effectiveness against DR Congo and Colombia has been a concern. They'll face Croatia in the round of 32.Croatia (FIFA ranking: 13)
Croatia's 4-2-3-1 formation seems to be working better, and they've had five different goalscorers. They'll face Portugal in the next round.Switzerland (FIFA ranking: 16)
Switzerland progressed to the knockout stages as Group B winners, and their performances have been encouraging. They'll face Algeria in the round of 32.Canada (FIFA ranking: 32)
Canada's next game against Morocco will be a free hit, according to coach Jesse Marsch. They'll be underdogs in Houston.Belgium (FIFA ranking: 10)
Belgium's performances in the group stage suggest they are not as good as their FIFA ranking implies. They'll face Senegal in the round of 32.Egypt (FIFA ranking: 26)
Egypt's 1-1 draw with Iran in their final group match meant they dropped to second in the table. They'll face Australia in the round of 32.Ghana (FIFA ranking: 65)
Ghana played the group stage smartly, winning the game they needed to against Panama and earning a draw against England. They'll face Colombia in the round of 32.Senegal (FIFA ranking: 18)
Senegal's performances against France and Norway were competitive, but they were prone to defensive errors. They'll face Belgium in the round of 32.Paraguay (FIFA ranking: 37)
Paraguay won their first World Cup knockout game against Germany, and they'll face tournament favorites France in the round of 16.Algeria (FIFA ranking: 29)
Algeria's 3-3 draw with Austria was enough for progression in third place. They'll face Switzerland in the round of 32.Austria (FIFA ranking: 22)
Austria's performance against Algeria was a borderline miracle, and they'll face Spain in the round of 32.Australia (FIFA ranking: 28)
Australia's progression as Group D runners-up marks a solid effort, and they'll face Egypt in the round of 32.DR Congo (FIFA ranking: 41)
DR Congo have qualified for the knockout stages for the first time, and they'll face England in the last 32.Cape Verde (FIFA ranking: 64)
Cape Verde's World Cup debut is a fairytale, and they'll face Argentina in the round of 32.Bosnia and Herzegovina (FIFA ranking: 61)
Bosnia and Herzegovina will face the United States in San Francisco in the last 32.Netherlands (FIFA ranking: 7)
The Netherlands' group stage instilled confidence, but their defeat to Morocco in the round of 32 was a disappointment. They'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Germany (FIFA ranking: 12)
Germany's group-stage performances were promising, but their loss to Paraguay in the last 32 was a cause for concern. They'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Japan (FIFA ranking: 17)
Japan's performance in the group stages was impressive, but they suffered injuries to key players. They'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Ivory Coast (FIFA ranking: 30)
Ivory Coast exited the World Cup, having only lost games to Germany and Norway. They'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Sweden (FIFA ranking: 36)
Sweden's turnaround under Graham Potter is impressive, but they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Ecuador (FIFA ranking: 24)
Ecuador's strength was their defensive resilience, but they struggled to find the net. They'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.South Africa (FIFA ranking: 54)
South Africa's World Cup debut was a success, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Iran (FIFA ranking: 21)
Iran's performance in the tournament was impressive, but they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.New Zealand (FIFA ranking: 86)
New Zealand's performance in the tournament was notable, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Turkey (FIFA ranking: 27)
Turkey's performance in the tournament was underwhelming, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Uruguay (FIFA ranking: 19)
Uruguay's performance in the tournament was disappointing, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Saudi Arabia (FIFA ranking: 58)
Saudi Arabia's performance in the tournament was hard to beat, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.South Korea (FIFA ranking: 31)
South Korea's performance in the tournament was disappointing, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Scotland (FIFA ranking: 42)
Scotland's elimination was a disappointment, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Curacao (FIFA ranking: 82)
Curacao's performance in the tournament was notable, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Czech Republic (FIFA ranking: 48)
The Czech Republic's performance in the tournament was underwhelming, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Uzbekistan (FIFA ranking: 60)
Uzbekistan's performance in the tournament was notable, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Panama (FIFA ranking: 44)
Panama's performance in the tournament was hard to beat, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Jordan (FIFA ranking: 73)
Jordan's performance in the tournament was notable, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Haiti (FIFA ranking: 88)
Haiti's performance in the tournament was notable, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Qatar (FIFA ranking: 59)
Qatar's performance in the tournament was disappointing, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Iraq (FIFA ranking: 63)
Iraq's performance in the tournament was notable, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.Tunisia (FIFA ranking: 57)
Tunisia's performance in the tournament was miserable, and they'll be eliminated at this stage of the tournament.
