Haiti, Turkey, Tunisia and Jordan eliminated as World Cup group stage reaches crunch point

Haiti, Turkey, Tunisia and Jordan have all been eliminated from the World Cup after losing both of their opening group-stage matches, with the tournament’s final round of group games now in sight.

Haiti exit Group C after defeats to Scotland and Brazil, while Turkey’s campaign in Group D ended following losses to Australia and Paraguay — a result that will be considered one of the bigger surprises of the tournament so far. Tunisia, widely regarded as the weakest side in the competition to this point, were eliminated from Group F after sacking their manager following their first game and then being heavily beaten by Japan. Head-to-head record confirms they will finish bottom of the group regardless of their final result. Jordan, meanwhile, bow out of Group J after falling to both Austria and Algeria, with holders Argentina still to come in their final fixture.

Two teams — Senegal and Iraq — have lost their first two games but retain a slim lifeline. The Group I pair meet each other in the final round, meaning a winner from that match could still advance as one of the best-placed third-place finishers across all groups.

A larger cluster of nations sit on a single point after two games and must win their final fixture to have any realistic chance of progressing. That group includes Czechia, South Africa, Bosnia, Qatar, Ecuador, Curacao, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia.

On the other end of the table, six teams have already secured their place in the round of 32. Mexico qualified from Group A, the United States from Group D, Germany from Group E, and both France and Norway from Group I. Argentina, as expected, have also advanced from Group J.