This year’s FIFA World Cup has been the kernel of many conversations before it even began, but that’s a story for another time. If you want, check out “Fifa Uncovered” now showing on Netflix.
That aside, this World Cup has definitely delivered in upsets and Germany is the latest casualty, the team many had money on, on making it to the finals and possibly win the coveted trophy.
Had Spain tied Japan in the second half, Germany would have gone through to the knockout rounds thanks to having a better goal difference than the Japanese.
Teams out of the World Cup: Every nation eliminated
- Qatar – OUT – the host nation was knocked out after just 5 days making it also the shortest time for a host at the World Cup.
- Ecuador – OUT – losing 2 – 1 to Senegal.
- Wales – OUT – going down – 3 – 0 to England.
- Iran – OUT – much like Wales, they also drop out of the tournament.
- Saudi Arabia – OUT – their shock victory and upset against Argentina will be remembered for many years to come but unfortunately finished at the bottom in their group.
- Denmark and Tunisia are heading home along with Costa Rica, Canada, and Belgium, the highest-ranked team in the group of “tournament leavers” who will watch from the sidelines with Mexico.
This World Cup boasted 32 teams, all vying to lift the most coveted trophy in football but come the 2026 World Cup which will be jointly hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico, all of that will change.
There will be 48 teams with the group stage consisting of 16 groups of three teams each with 32 teams advancing to the knockouts.
That also means that the total number of matches at the tournament will grow from 64 to 80, along with the maximum number of matches that the winning team will play will go up to 7 in total.