The third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage concluded in Groups D, E and F, producing dramatic finishes and confirming several more places in the Round of 32.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the United States suffered a late defeat to Türkiye but still finished first in Group D, Ecuador shocked Germany with a comeback victory, while the Netherlands comfortably secured top spot in Group F.
In Group D, the United States lost 3-2 to Türkiye despite having already secured qualification. Türkiye scored the winning goal deep into stoppage time, but the victory was not enough to keep their World Cup hopes alive as they finished fourth.
Meanwhile, Australia earned a goalless draw against Paraguay to secure second place with four points. Paraguay also finished on four points but had to settle for third and now await the final ranking of the best third-placed teams.
Group E produced one of the biggest surprises of the day. Germany took an early lead against Ecuador, but the South Americans fought back to claim a crucial 2-1 victory. After losing to Côte d'Ivoire and drawing with Curaçao in their opening two matches, Ecuador's win was enough to advance as one of the best third-placed teams.
Despite the defeat, Germany remained group winners thanks to superior tiebreakers. Côte d'Ivoire defeated Curaçao 2-0 to finish second, with Nicolas Pépé scoring both goals. Curaçao ended their debut World Cup campaign with one point but earned praise for several competitive performances throughout the tournament.
The Netherlands confirmed their status as Group F winners with a convincing 3-1 victory over Tunisia. Ronald Koeman's side finished with seven points and advanced to the Round of 32, where they will face Morocco.
Japan drew 1-1 with Sweden to secure second place and a direct place in the knockout stage, setting up a meeting with Brazil. Sweden also remained alive in the tournament after finishing third with four points, while Tunisia exited without collecting a single point.
The latest results once again highlighted the unique nature of the expanded World Cup format. Finishing third can still be enough to progress, but every goal and every point has become decisive, with late drama capable of changing an entire tournament.
