World Cup 2026: Full group schedule and top third-round matches to watch

Remaining group schedule, teams, as well as the best third-round group fixtures at the tournament in North America.Norway will face France in their final group game in Boston [Mike Segar/Reuters]Published On 24 Jun 2026After 48 matches in North America, it’s time for the final round of games in the group stage at World Cup 2026.Sixteen teams will be eliminated after these fixtures, with 32 nations heading through to the knockout stages.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Who’s being left out of the World Cup?list 2 of 4US says Iran can stay for two days before Egypt World Cup gamelist 3 of 4Ghana’s Partey gets handshake snub and boos in England matchlist 4 of 4World Cup knockouts: Who has made it to the round of 32 stage?end of listThe top two teams from each of the 12 groups – along with the eight best third-placed teams – will proceed to the next phase.Here are the top five “must-watch” matches in the second round of fixtures from June 24 until June 27.Neymar could return for Brazil against Scotland [Reuters]⚽️ Scotland vs BrazilMiami Stadium – Wednesday, 6pm (22:00 GMT)These two sides will meet at the World Cup for the fifth time and there’s plenty to play for in an intriguing encounter in Miami.Brazil are looking to secure their place in the knockout stages as group winners and are currently tied with Morocco on four points at the top of Group C.Scotland are aiming to escape the group for the first time at a major international tournament and know that a point will almost certainly guarantee a spot in the round of 32.Expect Group C to change a lot during these final fixtures, with Morocco taking on Haiti at the same time.If that isn’t enough, Brazil’s Neymar is also set to make his first appearance at this World Cup.Sweden have been unpredictable at this tournament [Raquel Cunha/Reuters]⚽️ Japan vs SwedenDallas Stadium – Thursday, 6pm (23:00 GMT)It’s difficult to predict which Sweden will turn up in Dallas on Thursday.Graham Potter’s side beat Tunisia 5-1 in their opening match of the World Cup, before losing by the same score to the Netherlands.Japan have been entertaining to watch at this tournament and were in fine form during their 4-0 win over Tunisia at the weekend.Expect plenty of goals in this match and plenty of drama. The winner will secure a top-two finish in Group F, so there is a lot to play for.France’s Kylian Mbappe has scored four goals so far [Kyle Ross/Reuters]⚽️ Norway vs FranceBoston Stadium – Friday, 3pm (19:00 GMT)Norway and France are already through to the knockout stages, but this game looks set to be a blockbuster affair with both sides looking to top Group I.Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe have both scored four goals so far and they’ll be desperate to add to their tally as they chase down Lionel Messi.France are one of the favourites to lift the World Cup next month and are looking to end the group stage with three wins from three.But Norway have the opportunity to prove that they truly are dark horses in this tournament and can compete with elite international sides.Buckle in for a big one in Boston.Spain’s Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Victor Munoz celebrate after the match against Saudi Arabia [Claudia Greco/Reuters]⚽️ Uruguay vs SpainSeattle Stadium – Friday, 6pm (00:00 GMT on Saturday)Group H has been a tight affair following some surprise results in the opening round of fixtures.Uruguay drew with Saudi Arabia, while Cape Verde shocked the world with a goalless draw against Spain.La Roja bounced back by thrashing Saudi Arabia and they go into their final game as group leaders, with Uruguay two points behind in second.Spain will secure top spot with a win in Seattle, ensuring that they avoid Argentina in the round of 32.Egypt are looking to reach the knockout stages at the World Cup for the first time [Anne-Marie Sorvin/Reuters]⚽️ Egypt vs IranSeattle Stadium – Friday, 8pm (03:00 GMT on Saturday)Neither of these sides have ever made it out of the group at a World Cup, but on Friday, at least one of them will achieve that feat.Group G is closely bunched after a number of drawn matches and it sets things up nicely for an intriguing final round of fixtures.Victory for either Egypt or Iran will guarantee them a spot in the knockout phase, so expect both sides to be up for this one.Iran have faced numerous challenges at this World Cup, with restrictions on travel and visa issues before the tournament even began.If Iran progress, there’s also still a chance that they will face the US in the knockout stages.World Cup 2026: Remaining group-stage full scheduleWednesday, June 24