The Short Version
Four groups closed on June 27, and the day’s defining story was a contrast. Cabo Verde drew all three of their games, finished on three points — and reached the round of 32 on a World Cup debut, a genuine piece of history. Iran also drew all three of their games, also finished on three points — and went home. Same unbeaten record, opposite fate, decided entirely by the company each kept. Around them the favourites held firm: Spain topped Group H without conceding, Belgium edged Group G, Colombia finished above Portugal in Group K, and England took Group L with Croatia following them through.
Some days the group stage rewards swagger; this one rewarded survival, and then refused to reward it evenly. Two teams went through their groups without losing a match. One is into the knockout rounds for the first time in its history. The other is on a plane home. The difference between them had nothing to do with how they played and everything to do with who they played.
How the four groups finished on the night:
| Group | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| G | Belgium vs New Zealand | 5–1 |
| G | Egypt vs Iran | 1–1 |
| H | Uruguay vs Spain | 0–1 |
| H | Cabo Verde vs Saudi Arabia | 0–0 |
| K | Colombia vs Portugal | 0–0 |
| K | DR Congo vs Uzbekistan | 3–1 |
| L | Panama vs England | 0–2 |
| L | Croatia vs Ghana | 2–1 |
Cabo Verde make history; Spain stay perfect
Group H delivered the headline. Cabo Verde, one of the smallest nations ever to reach a World Cup, drew 0-0 with Saudi Arabia to finish their debut group campaign unbeaten — three draws, three points — and it was enough for second place and a spot in the round of 32. For an island nation of half a million people, it is one of the great World Cup stories of the tournament so far, as the day’s coverage underlined.
At the top, Spain were imperious. A 1-0 win over Uruguay completed a group stage in which they did not concede a single goal, finishing first on seven points. Uruguay, by contrast, drew two and lost one to go out on two points — a chastening group for a side many had tipped to advance comfortably.
Group H — final table
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 7 |
| 2 | Cabo Verde | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Uruguay | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 2 |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 2 |
P = played, W/D/L = won/drawn/lost, GF/GA = goals for/against, GD = goal difference, Pts = points. The top two (in bold) advance to the round of 32.
Belgium take Group G as Iran’s unbeaten run ends in exit
In Group G, Iran did everything but win — and that turned out to be the problem. A 1-1 draw with Egypt left them unbeaten across three matches, three draws, three points, with a goal difference of zero. In Group H that record went through. Here it did not. Belgium and Egypt both finished on five points, and Iran’s three were a tier below.
Belgium took top spot, their 5-1 dismantling of New Zealand lifting them clear of Egypt on goal difference, with Egypt second. Iran’s reward for never losing was third place and elimination — the cruel mirror image of Cabo Verde’s night in the group next door.
Group G — final table
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 5 |
| 2 | Egypt | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 5 |
| 3 | Iran | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 1 |
Colombia leave Portugal in second
Group K produced the night’s quiet surprise at the top. Colombia held Portugal to a 0-0 draw and finished first, leaving Portugal — and Cristiano Ronaldo, whose record-setting sixth World Cup has framed their campaign — to qualify in second. Both are safely through; the seeding simply broke Colombia’s way.
DR Congo beat Uzbekistan 3-1 in the group’s other game but finished third on four points and went out, while Uzbekistan ended bottom without a point.
Group K — final table
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colombia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 7 |
| 2 | Portugal | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 5 |
| 3 | DR Congo | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 |
| 4 | Uzbekistan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | -9 | 0 |
England top Group L; Croatia come through
England closed Group L in control, a 2-0 win over Panama sealing first place on seven points. Croatia did the work required behind them, beating Ghana 2-1 to take second and book their place in the last 32, as the knockout picture took shape. Ghana’s four points were not quite enough, and Panama finished bottom without a point.
Group L — final table
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 7 |
| 2 | Croatia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| 3 | Ghana | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Panama | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |
Saturday’s qualified eight
Eight teams booked round-of-32 places across the day: Belgium and Egypt from Group G, Spain and Cabo Verde from Group H, Colombia and Portugal from Group K, England and Croatia from Group L. Iran, New Zealand, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Ghana and Panama are out.
The favourites mostly did what favourites do, and after a week in which goal difference settled group after group, Saturday’s lasting image was a smaller one: an island nation that never won a game and never lost one, through to the knockout rounds for the first time — while another unbeaten side, a few hundred miles away in the bracket, packed for home. The records were identical. The draw decided the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Which teams played on June 27, 2026? In Group G, Belgium beat New Zealand 5-1 and Egypt drew 1-1 with Iran. In Group H, Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 and Cabo Verde drew 0-0 with Saudi Arabia. In Group K, Colombia drew 0-0 with Portugal and DR Congo beat Uzbekistan 3-1. In Group L, England beat Panama 2-0 and Croatia beat Ghana 2-1.
How did Cabo Verde qualify for the round of 32? Cabo Verde drew all three group games to finish second in Group H on three points, reaching the knockout stage on their World Cup debut. Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, both on two points, finished below them.
Why was Iran eliminated despite not losing a game? Iran drew all three Group G matches for three points, but Belgium and Egypt both finished on five. Iran’s unbeaten record left them third and eliminated — in contrast to Cabo Verde, who advanced with the same three draws in a weaker group.
Who won Group H and did Spain concede? Spain won Group H with seven points and did not concede a single goal in the group stage, finishing with a 1-0 win over Uruguay.
Did Portugal qualify, and where did they finish? Portugal qualified, finishing second in Group K behind Colombia after a 0-0 draw between the sides. Both teams advanced to the round of 32.
Who won Group L? England won Group L with seven points after a 2-0 win over Panama. Croatia finished second on six points by beating Ghana 2-1.
Which teams qualified on June 27? Belgium, Egypt, Spain, Cabo Verde, Colombia, Portugal, England and Croatia all reached the round of 32.
Which teams were eliminated on June 27? Iran, New Zealand, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Ghana and Panama were all knocked out.
About the author: James O’Connor is investigative football correspondent at Touchline Global, the London-based independent football journalism outlet founded in 2012 and specializing in FIFA governance, commercial reporting, and football’s political economy. O’Connor has covered every FIFA World Cup since Brazil 2014. Contact: james.oconnor@touchline.global · LinkedIn: /in/james-oconnor-touchline · X: @JamesOConnorTG
