Who Will Advance to the FIFA World Cup Knockout Stage?
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12 teams are remaining in the FIFA World Cup tournament, and these teams have been divided into four groups of three. To advance to the knockout stage, teams need to finish as one of the top two in their respective groups. The top two teams will then play each other in the round of 16, while the bottom two teams will play each other in the consolation round of 16. This means there will be eight matches that take place on July 1, and another eight matches on July 2 as these games occur simultaneously around the world. Which teams do you think will advance to the knockout stage? Read on to find out!
Group A: Qatar, India, Oman, Afghanistan
When it comes to Group A, Qatar seems like a lock. They have a world cup standing of 25th, and they're in their first World Cup appearance. India, which is ranked 34th, seems like their biggest competition. Oman (28) and Afghanistan (39) will be fighting for third place.
Group B: Saudi Arabia, China, Uzbekistan, Syria
Group B will be a tough one. All four teams have either world cup experience or potential. China and Uzbekistan are newcomers and don't have much international exposure, but their home-field advantage may get them out of this group. Saudi Arabia is known for its long-standing soccer culture and its sporty nationals, so they're favored to advance.
Group C: South Korea, Turkmenistan, Lebanon, Sri Lanka
South Korea is currently in 1st place, but should they stumble, Lebanon could take advantage.
Turkmenistan has a tough group and it's unlikely that they will make it through. FIFA World Cup standings: 4th place.
Lebanon is sitting in 2nd place with a good chance of advancing.
Group D: Japan, Australia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan
Australia and Japan are both favorites to advance in Group D. Japan is ranked 4th in Asia and has qualified for 8 World Cups, while Australia is ranked 12th in Asia and has qualified for 6 World Cups. Tajikistan is ranked 2nd in Central Asia and has never qualified for a World Cup. Kyrgyzstan is ranked 8th in Central Asia and has qualified for 1 World Cup.
Group E: Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Hong Kong
Iran is currently leading Group E with six points, followed by Iraq (four points) and Bahrain (one point). The top two teams in Group E will advance to the FIFA World Cup knockout stage. Iran has a relatively easy matchup against Hong Kong on Tuesday, while Iraq faces Bahrain. If both of these games result in victories for their respective teams, they will qualify for the knockout stage. However, if either team loses then it will be very difficult for them to qualify.
Group F: UAE, Kuwait, Thailand, Indonesia
Group F is one of the most open groups in this edition of the World Cup Qualifiers. While hosts UAE are strong favorites, several teams could potentially advance from this group. Kuwait has been bolstered by new coach Nasser Al-Jasmi and will be looking to improve on its quarter-final appearance at the Asian Games. Thailand has also enjoyed success with a third-place finish at last year's AFF Suzuki Cup but will need to avoid any slip-ups to advance.
Group G: Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, Senegal
Group G is one of the most competitive groups at this World Cup. Though Morocco and Tunisia are looking like favorites, it's unclear who will be advancing from this group. For Senegal to advance, they need a win over Tunisia, which doesn't look likely with their recent form. If Senegal does manage a victory, they'll need both Morocco and Mauritania to lose their games for them to move on.
Group H: Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast
The Group H World Cup teams are Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Ivory Coast. For a team from this group to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament, they must place at least third in their group. The top two teams from this group will advance. This means that even if one team in Group H is mathematically eliminated before the final match day, another team from that same group will still advance. The three teams play against each other in two rounds with a total of six matches per round.
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