The MP column in a World Cup table means matches played. In a group- stage standings table, it tells you how many games each team has already completed, so you can see whether a team still has games left to play.

How to read the table

A typical World Cup standings table uses these columns:

  • MP = matches played.
  • W = wins.
  • D = draws.
  • L = losses.
  • GF = goals for.
  • GA = goals against.
  • GD = goal difference.
  • Pts = points.

The most important column is Pts , because teams are ranked by points first, then by tiebreakers if needed.

Simple example

If a team shows MP 3 , that means it has already played all three of its group matches. If it shows MP 2 , it still has one match left, so its place in the table can still change.

What matters most

  • 3 points for a win.
  • 1 point for a draw.
  • 0 points for a loss.
  • If teams are tied on points, goal difference usually decides the order first.

For the 2026 World Cup, the top two teams in each group advance, and the eight best third-place teams also move on.

Here’s the short version: MP tells you how many games a team has played; Pts tells you how strong its position is.