The last 32: Where the Muslim world stands as the World Cup reaches its knockout climax
As group stage reaches its decisive final days, they are splitting into three camps — the through, the fighting, and the fallen
Updated Saturday, June 27, 2026. Most groups are now settled; the last two group deciders involving Muslim nations are played tonight.
When the expanded 2026 World Cup kicked off across North America, it did so with the largest contingent of Muslim-majority nations the tournament has ever seen — joined by Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ivory Coast, two sides where Muslims form the largest religious community.
Now, with the 48-team group stage all but complete and the new Round of 32 taking shape, the picture for those nations has come sharply into focus.
Under the format, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups advance automatically, along with the eight best third-placed sides — meaning 32 of the 48 nations progress to the knockouts.
Through to knockouts
The standard-bearer, as ever this tournament, is Morocco. The Atlas Lions advanced from Group C as runners-up behind Brazil on goal difference and, according to ESPN, will meet the Netherlands in the last 32.
For a side that reached the semi-finals in 2022 and recently climbed to a record fifth in the world rankings, mere qualification is the floor, not the ceiling.
Egypt booked their place in style. The Pharaohs finished as runners-up in Group G behind Belgium, sealing a knockout berth that FIFA confirmed after their final match — a 1-1 draw with Iran.
Their campaign already carried a remarkable footnote: their earlier 3-1 win over New Zealand was, by Wikipedia’s record of the group, the first World Cup match Egypt had ever won, in a history stretching back to their debut in 1934. They are set to face Australia, the Group D runners-up.
The most stirring turnaround belongs to Senegal. One of Africa’s heavyweights looked dead and buried after losing their opening two matches to France and Norway, but a thunderous 5-0 demolition of Iraq on the final matchday lifted them to third in Group I — and the margin was enough to carry them through among the eight best third-placed teams, as FIFA confirmed.
The Lions of Teranga now await word on their knockout opponent.
Two more nations counted by this network among the Muslim world’s representatives are also through. Ivory Coast, whose population includes a Muslim plurality alongside large Christian and traditional communities, qualified from Group E and, per ESPN, will face Norway in Dallas.
And Bosnia and Herzegovina, home to a Bosniak Muslim plurality and appearing on this stage for only the second time, finished third in a tough Group B with four points to grab one of the third-place spots. Their reward is a meeting with co-hosts the United States on July 1 in Santa Clara.
Fighting for their lives
Three nations still have their fate in the balance, with the outcomes settled in the closing matches.
Algeria are best placed of the group.
As ESPN lays out, a win over Austria in Kansas City tonight would secure second place in Group J and a meeting with Spain, while even a draw would most likely be enough to sneak through as one of the best third-placed sides.
Iran, having finished third in Group G on three points after their draw with Egypt, sit just inside the third-place places and need results elsewhere to fall kindly to survive.
And Uzbekistan, still seeking a first-ever knockout appearance, remain alive only in theory: they must beat DR Congo tonight, and likely by a wide margin, to overturn a heavy goal difference.
The fallen
Six Muslim nations have already gone home.
Qatar, the 2022 hosts, were eliminated after a heavy defeat to Bosnia. Jordan, making a spirited first World Cup appearance, were knocked out following losses to Austria and Argentina.
Türkiye ended a 24-year absence from the finals — their last appearance, in 2002, famously yielded a third-place finish — only to exit at the bottom of Group D, beaten by Australia and Paraguay before a face-saving 3-2 win over the United States in a dead rubber.
Saudi Arabia managed just a single point, drawing with Uruguay and Cape Verde either side of a 4-0 loss to Spain, and finished bottom but one of Group H.
Iraq, carried to the finals by the historic rise of Zidane Iqbal, lost all three matches and were on the receiving end of Senegal’s final-day rout.
And Tunisia endured the most chastening campaign of all, losing all three games in a brutal Group F against Sweden, Japan and the Netherlands — a run so bleak that, as ESPN noted, their manager became one of the few coaches ever dismissed mid-tournament.
The bigger picture
Add it up and the trend is unmistakable. Even with painful exits for Qatar, Jordan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Tunisia, the Muslim world is guaranteed strong representation deep into the knockout rounds — Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Bosnia all confirmed, with Algeria, Iran and Uzbekistan still in the hunt as the group stage breathes its last.
Should Algeria and Iran hold on, as expected, the number advancing would match or exceed any World Cup in history.
The expansion to 48 teams was sold, in part, as a way to widen football’s map.
On the evidence of these three weeks, it has done exactly that — and the communities this network covers have rarely had more reasons to keep watching.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
