The final round of the 2026 World Cup group stage begins on Wednesday, and over the coming days all groups will be completed ahead of the tournament’s first knockout round, the new round of 32. In several groups, teams no longer have anything at stake because they have already secured first place or have lost any chance of finishing in the top three.
Group D is different. Australia and Paraguay will meet with three points each, and the unusual standings mean that a draw between them would send both teams into the round of 32.
The setup raises the question of whether either side will still push for a win, or whether the match could effectively be settled in advance by the result both teams need. The article notes that this could create an uncommon scenario in the closing round of the group stage.
The piece also points ahead to what comes next, the knockout stage that begins with the round of 32, where the qualified teams will continue their World Cup campaign.
