Quick Scoop: Countries Still in the 2026 World Cup

As of early July 2026, the FIFA World Cup has whittled down from 48 starters to a tight cluster of contenders. After the group stage, Round of 32, and much of the Round of 16, 12 teams remain in the hunt for the trophy.

Who’s Already Through to the Quarterfinals

Four nations have booked their spots in the last eight:

  • Morocco – continuing their deep-run momentum from previous tournaments.
  • France – perennial powerhouses, again navigating the knockouts.
  • Norway – one of the breakout stories, notably upsetting Brazil in the Round of 16.
  • England – edging past Mexico in a 3–2 thriller to advance.

These sides are waiting on the remaining Round of 16 fixtures to learn their quarterfinal opponents.

Teams Still Alive (Playing in the Round of 16)

Eight more countries are one or two wins away from the quarterfinals, with matches scheduled across the coming days:

  • Spain
  • Portugal
  • United States
  • Belgium
  • Argentina
  • Egypt
  • Colombia
  • Switzerland

These matchups will whittle the field from 12 down to 8, setting the quarterfinal bracket.

Who’s Already Out

For context, a lot of big names have already been eliminated at different stages: Eliminated in the Round of 16

  • Canada
  • Paraguay
  • Brazil
  • Mexico

Eliminated in the Round of 32

  • Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Croatia, Senegal, Australia, Algeria, Ghana, Austria, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, DR Congo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cape Verde

Eliminated in the Group Stage

  • South Korea, Czechia, Qatar, Scotland, Haiti, Turkey, Curaçao, Tunisia, Iran, New Zealand, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Panama

TL;DR

  • 12 countries left in the 2026 World Cup.
  • 4 already in the quarterfinals : Morocco, France, Norway, England.
  • 8 still fighting in the Round of 16: Spain, Portugal, USA, Belgium, Argentina, Egypt, Colombia, Switzerland.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.