For the group stages, teams whch finish on the same number of points are separated by 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) head-to-head record, 4) fair play.
Group A state of play: Netherlands 4 points; Ecuador 4; Senegal 3; Qatar 0; Remaining fixtures: Netherlands vs Qatar and Ecuador vs Senegal – Tuesday 3pm
Beaten in both of their opening matches, Qatar are out of the World Cup after just two games – the earliest any host country has ever been eliminated from a World Cup.
While Group A leaders Netherlands look poised to win the group – their final match is against Qatar – Tuesday’s game between Ecuador and Senegal looks set to be a winner-takes-all contest for the runners-up spot. But it’s advantage Ecuador as a draw will be sufficient to see them progress.
Group B state of play: England 4 points; Iran 3; USA 2; Wales 1; Remaining fixtures: England vs Wales and USA vs Iran – Tuesday 7pm
England are top of Group B with four points after the opening two rounds of matches, but Iran, Wales and USA can all still qualify.
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While Wales will need to beat England on Tuesday night to have any chance of progressing from the group, Gareth Southgate’s team will progress as group winners with victory. A draw will also be enough to top the group if USA vs Iran ends in a stalemate as well.
As long as England avoid a four-goal defeat or greater to Wales, they will reach the last 16.
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Iran are certain to advance if they avoid defeat to the USA and Wales do not win, while the USA will have to beat Iran to reach the last 16.
Group C state of play: Poland 4 points; Argentina 3; Saudi Arabia 3; Mexico 1; Remaining fixtures: Argentina vs Poland and Saudi Arabia vs Mexico – Wednesday 7pm
Having avoided a defeat to Mexico which would have ended their World Cup participation, Argentina have their Group C destiny in their own hands again. Victory against Poland on Wednesday night will guarantee not only their progression but also put them in pole position to advance as group winners. To deny them top spot in that scenario, Saudi Arabia would not only need to beat Mexico but also win by a larger margin than Argentina.
Poland will progress if they avoid defeat to Argentina – a win would guarantee their progression as group winners – while a draw for Saudi Arabia against Mexico and a defeat for Poland would only see the Saudis qualify if Poland lose heavily.
As for Mexico, they have to beat Saudi Arabia to have any hope of qualifying. A win for Mexico and a defeat for Argentina against Poland would definitely be sufficient for Mexico to finish as runners-up while a win for Mexico and a draw between Argentina and Poland would see the two South American teams finish level on points and runners-up status determined by goal difference.
In that scenario, the Mexicans will likely need to beat third-placed Saudi Arabia by at least three goals on Wednesday.
Group D state of play: France 6 points (Qualified); Australia 3; Denmark 1; Tunisia 1; Remaining fixtures: France vs Tunisia and Australia vs Denmark – Wednesday 3pm
France are the first team to qualify for the last 16, but everything else is still to play for in Group D. The World Cup holders are not yet sure of finishing as group winners, but a point in their final match against Tunisia will be sufficient, regardless of Australia’s result against Denmark.
If Tunisia do not win against France, Australia will progress as runners-up so long as they do not lose to Denmark, while the Danes must win to qualify – were Denmark and Tunisia to win, the runners-up spot would be decided on goal difference and then goals scored.
Group E state of play: Spain 4 points; Japan 3; Costa Rica 3; Germany 1; Remaining fixtures: Germany vs Costa Rica and Spain vs Japan – Thursday 7pm
This one is going to the wire. Germany may still be bottom of the group but their position in terms of last-16 qualification improved markedly on Sunday courtesy of Costa Rica’s surprise win over Japan and their own comeback draw with Spain.
But Germany still have plenty to do. First, they must beat Costa Rica – anything less and they will be knocked out. Second, they must hope Spain – who themselves are not yet through and still need a point to guarantee qualification – beat Japan. A win for Germany and a draw for Japan would see them finish level on points and qualification decided on goals difference (and if not goal difference, goals scored followed by their head-to-head record).
As for Costa Rica, a draw against Germany will be enough for their progression if Japan lose, but a draw will not be enough if Japan vs Spain also ends equal given the hit their goal difference account took in the 7-0 mauling to Spain.
Group F state of play: Croatia 4 points; Morocco 4; Belgium 3; Canada 0; Remaining fixtures: Croatia vs Belgium and Morocco vs Canada – Thursday 3pm
Morocco play Canada and Belgium face Croatia in the final round of Group F fixtures. But which game is bigger? One way of looking at Thursday’s final act is that a victory or draw for Morocco over the already-eliminated Canadians would guarantee either Belgium, ranked second in the world, or Croatia, runners-up four years ago, will be knocked out.
A draw for Morocco would not be terminal for Croatia – who themselves only require a draw to be certain of progressing – but it would mean only a win for Belgium would be enough to keep them in the competition. The reality for Belgium is only a win is likely to be enough: with Morocco’s goal difference at plus 2 and Belgium’s at minus 1, it would require a big goal swing against Morocco for the Africans to miss out on the runners-up spot in the event of a Canada win and a draw between Croatia and Belgium.
Groups G, H states of play to follow after their second round of matches
Provisional last-16 fixtures (Last updated: Sunday November 27 based on current group tables)
Saturday December 3
49 – Netherlands (Winners of Group A) vs Iran (Runners-up of Group B) – Kick-off 3pm
50 – Poland (Winners of Group C) vs Australia (Runners-up of Group D) – Kick-off 7pm
Sunday December 4
52 – France (Winners of Group D) vs Argentina (Runners-up of Group C) – Kick-off 3pm
51 – England (Winners of Group B) vs Ecuador (Runners-up of Group A) – Kick-off 7pm
Monday December 5
53 – Spain (Winners of Group E) vs Morocco (Runners-up of Group F) – Kick-off 3pm
54 – Brazil (Winners of Group G) vs South Korea (Runners-up of Group H) – Kick-off 7pm
Tuesday December 6
55 – Croatia (Winners of Group F) vs Japan (Runners-up of Group E) – Kick-off 3pm
56 – Portugal (Winners of Group H) vs Switzerland (Runners-up of Group G) – Kick-off 7pm
Provisional quarter-final fixtures (Last updated: Sunday November 27 using current group table standings)
Friday December 9
58 – Spain or Morocco vs Brazil or South Korea – Kick-off 3pm
57 – Netherlands or Iran vs Poland or Australia – Kick-off 7pm
Saturday December 10
60 – Croatia or Japan vs Portugal or Switzerland – Kick-off 3pm
59 – England or Ecuador vs France or Argentina – Kick-off 7pm
Provisional semi-final fixtures
Tuesday December 13
61 – Netherlands/Iran/Poland/Australia vs Spain/Belgium/Brazil/South Korea – Kick-off 7pm
Wednesday December 14
62 – England/Ecuador/France/Argentina vs Croatia/Japan/Portugal/Switzerland – Kick-off 7pm
England’s potential route to the World Cup final as group winners (Last updated: Sunday November 27 based on current group tables)
Round of 16 – Sunday December 4
England vs Ecuador – Kick-off 7pm
Quarter-finals – Saturday December 10
England vs France or Argentina – Kick-off 7pm
Semi-finals – Wednesday December 14
England vs Croatia/Japan/Portugal/Switzerland
England’s potential route to the World Cup final as group runners-up (Last updated: Sunday November 27 based on current group tables)
Round of 16 – Saturday December 3
Netherlands vs England – Kick-off 3pm
Quarter-finals – Friday December 9
England vs Poland or Australia – Kick-off 7pm
Semi-finals – Tuesday December 13
England vs Spain/Morocco/Brazil/South Korea – Kick-off 7pm
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