The biggest ever group stage at a World Cup is over – and the tournament bracket has been settled all the way to the final.

After 72 games, we now know which of the 48 teams participating have made it to the round of 32.

But how well do you know the numbers that helped – or hindered – teams in getting there?

Test yourself in our quiz below!

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West Indies are two-time Men’s T20 World Cup champions with their last triumph in 2016.

New Delhi: Two-time Men’s T20 World Cup champions West Indies will miss cricket’s return to the Olympics in 2028 after the qualification process was revealed on Monday (June 29). Six teams each will play in the men’s and women’s T20 competitions at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics.Besides four-highest ranked eligible National Olympic Committees (NOC) continentally and one quota place for the hosts USA, one more place will be decided by virtue of a Final Olympic Global Qualification Tournament (FOCGQT). Based on the rankings on 31 December 2026, a qualifying tournament will be played featuring the “next eight highest-ranked eligible teams not yet qualified.”If West Indies, who are currently seventh in the ICC T20I rankings, the ICC will organise a West Indies Nations Regional Tournament.It will be played to decide which NOC will compete in the FOCGQT. Unlike the ICC, which recognises the collection of Caribbean islands as the West indies, it is not the case with the IOC (International Olympic Committee).So, IOC recognises Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica , St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the US Virgin Islands, as separate NOCs. ICC, however, do not.The NOC that wins the FOGQT will secure the final Olympic quota place.Cricket returns to the Olympics after a 126 year period. The last time cricket was played at the Olympics was in Paris 1900.Cricket at LA2028Men: 6 teamsWomen: 6 teamsMen’s event1 team: Host USA qualifies if they remain in top-15 rankings on 31 December 2026.4 teams: Highest-ranked eligible NOCs continentally on December 31 (India, England, Australia, South Africa qualify based on current rankings)1 team: Final Olympic Global Qualification Tournament (FOGQT) of the next eight highest-ranked eligible teams that haven’t already qualified. West Indies, if it meets the rankings criteria, will play a regional tournament of its Caribbean islands.* New Zealand (currently 4th in the rankings) would not qualify automatically because Australia is already Oceania’s highest-ranked team.* Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka would miss out because India occupies Asia’s continental berth. They will likely head to the qualifier.Women’s eventUnlike the men’s event which is decided by the rankings, the women’s will be decided by the ongoing T20 World Cup.4 teams: The automatic places go to the highest-placed eligible NOCs from four different continents at the World Cup.1 team: USA qualify as hosts if they stay within the top-15 rankings. They’re currently 20th.1 team: One final spot comes via the Global Qualification Tournament which will be played between the next eight highest-ranked eligible teams that haven’t qualified.Again, West Indies, if they are in this category, will play a regional tournament to ascertain which NOC qualifies for the Olympics.

Rifdean “Magic Boy” Masdor came to The Inner Circle 19 with a point to prove. He left with a knockout, a US$100,000 main roster contract, and a callout that sent a message to the entire atomweight Muay Thai division.

The 23-year-old delivered a fierce first-round stoppage of Iran’s Javad Mozafari on the subscriber-only card, which streamed live at live.onefc.com from Bangkok’s revered Lumpinee Stadium.

The win – his seventh in ONE Championship and his fifth first-round promotional knockout – earned the Sor Sommai and Sor Kitrungroj product the six-figure deal.

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In doing so, he joined Johan “Jojo” Ghazali and Aliff Sor Dechapan in an exclusive club of Malaysians who have been handed that life-changing opportunity on the global stage.

For Rifdean, three years of grinding, sacrificing, and believing had finally produced exactly what he always knew they would.

He said:

“I’ve been waiting for this contract for three years. I’ve got it because I worked hard. Discipline and motivation have always been number one for me.

“Thank you so much to Boss Chatri [Sityodtong] for giving me the contract and the bonus, and thank you to my big boss at Sor Sommai. Thank you to my fans and my family. Thank you, everyone.”

The path to that contract ran through a performance that Rifdean himself did not entirely see coming. Despite already owning four first-round knockouts in ONE heading into the fight, he was not banking on a swift finish.

What followed, though, left little room for doubt. The Malaysian imposed himself from the opening bell and gave his foe no time to breathe. A telling body shot soon dropped Mozafari. The Iranian beat the count – but two left hooks to the body finished the job for good at the 94-second mark. 

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“Magic Boy” continued:

“I wasn’t expecting to get the knockout win in the first round because anything can happen in a fight. But, Alhamdulillah, I kept pushing until my opponent went down.”

The finish was the exclamation point on a brilliant campaign that had been building toward this exact moment. Five straight victories, five finishes, and now a main roster contract that opens an entirely new chapter.

What came next made clear that he had no intention of stopping there. He had inserted himself firmly into the atomweight Muay Thai conversation, and his message to the division was equally unambiguous.

Rifdean shared:

“Now that I’ve got the contract, I’m happy. But it’s not over yet. See you in the next fight. I will do my best.”

Rifdean Has Nadaka In His Sights

True to his word, Rifdean Masdor intends to do his best, and he has already identified exactly who he wants to do it against.

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No opponent has been officially confirmed for his main roster debut. But following his knockout of Mozafari, the Sor Sommai and Sor Kitrungroj athlete fixed his gaze firmly on reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Nadaka.

He continued:

“My next goal is to become a ONE World Champion. So, for my next fight, see you in Japan, Nadaka. I want to fight against him.”

The callout carries genuine conviction – but it is not the words of a fighter getting ahead of himself.

Rifdean has long admired what the Japanese slugger has built throughout his rise to become arguably the finest striker of this generation. Now, with a main roster contract in hand, the young Malaysian believes he belongs in the same conversation.

The 23-year-old concluded:

“I’ll train hard to get the belt. Nadaka is my idol, and I want to fight with my idol. It will be a good fight.”

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The updated game introduces major enhancements, including the Dynasty Blueprint system, new Road to Glory mechanics, Mascot Mashup mode, and expanded on-field gameplay, like refined zone coverage and the jump snap.

The vast majority of players actively opted into the game, but there are a few notable absences in the database ahead of launch.

Here are the ratings of the Top 100+ players from the West, with their school, position, and conference.

After 72 matches played across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has come to an end, leaving just 32 teams in the race for football’s biggest prize.

The tournament has already produced unforgettable moments, surprise results and outstanding individual performances. As the competition moves into the knockout rounds, here are my personal picks for the best team, player, match and moment of the group stage.

Best Team: France

For me, France have been the best team of the tournament so far. They won all three of their group matches and showed why they remain one of the favourites to lift the World Cup trophy.

Their attack has been outstanding, with pace, creativity and goals coming from different players. They have also shown strength in depth, allowing them to rotate players without losing quality.

While they are not yet at their absolute best, France have looked more complete than any other team in the competition. Their experience, squad depth and attacking quality make them a very difficult team to stop.

Best Player: Lionel Messi

At 39 years old, Lionel Messi continues to prove why he is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

The Argentine captain has been exceptional during the group stage, scoring goals, creating chances and leading by example. His intelligence, movement and ability to influence matches remain unmatched.

Every time Messi steps onto the pitch, he creates moments that football fans will remember forever. His performances at this World Cup have once again shown that age is just a number for a player of his quality.

Best Match: Uruguay vs Cape Verde

The best match of the group stage for me was the thrilling 2-2 draw between Uruguay and Cape Verde.

The game had everything that makes football special, goals, drama, emotion and excitement. Cape Verde took the lead, fell behind and then fought back to earn a deserved draw against one of the traditional giants of world football.

Both teams created chances to win the game in the closing stages, making it one of the most entertaining and unforgettable matches of the tournament so far.

Best Moment: Cape Verde Reach the Last 32

The most memorable moment of the World Cup group stage was Cape Verde qualifying for the knockout rounds for the first time in their history.

After completing their own match, the players from the small African nation gathered together on the pitch to watch updates from the Spain versus Uruguay game. They knew their World Cup dream depended on Spain avoiding defeat.

When confirmation finally arrived that Spain had beaten Uruguay, the emotions exploded. Players, coaches and staff celebrated wildly as Cape Verde secured a historic place in the last 32.

It was a beautiful reminder of what makes the World Cup so special. For a small nation to achieve such a remarkable feat and celebrate together in such an emotional way was a moment that captured the true spirit of football.