ไทย
English
中國人
FIFA's expansionist vision has grown the World Cup to 48 teams, with a relentless schedule that has barely given breathing room for fans worldwide, let alone the players competing across three North American host nations this summer.
After 17 days, 72 matches and a remarkable 215 goals, just 16 nations were knocked out in the group stage. The brand-new round of 32 marks the beginning of the knockout phase, where powerhouses clash with first-timers as each side fights to keep their tournament dreams alive.
Notably, the feared drop in quality hasn't materialized, with smaller nations impressively holding their own. Yet the overachievement of some inevitably means others have fallen short, and a number of supporters have left North America deflated by their nation's performance at this summer's competition. For those already heading home, 2030 feels like an eternity away.
Here are the six most disappointing teams of the 2026 World Cup group stage.
South Korea
South Korea came into the World Cup with modest expectations, but a tightly contested Group A meant they had a reasonable shot at progressing to the knockout rounds.
And when the Taegeuk Warriors rallied to beat Czechia on Matchday 1, with PSG's Lee Kang-in putting in a standout display, it appeared that Hong Myung-bo's technically polished side could emerge as one of the tournament's most entertaining teams.
That showing turned out to be little more than a false promise, however. The confidence quickly evaporated against Mexico, and South Korea was undone by a resolute South Africa in the final group fixture to finish third. Three points and a -1 goal difference left them as the 10th-ranked third-place side, falling short of advancement.
The aftermath has been turbulent. Hong has departed, as anticipated, following South Korean president Lee Jae Myung's call for a sports ministry investigation into the team's poor showing.
"We will swiftly push forward with reforms to sports administration to ensure such a thing never happens again," Lee wrote on X.
Scotland
Scotland was undeniably one of the biggest winners off the pitch, with the Tartan Army charming their hosts in remarkable fashion.
They had qualified impressively at Denmark's expense, and after a couple of underwhelming major tournament appearances, Steve Clarke's squad seemed to be hitting their stride at precisely the right moment.
Yet their first World Cup campaign since 1998 concluded with a sense of anticlimax. A first tournament victory in 36 years, albeit a labored one against Haiti, cracked open the door to the round of 32, but Clarke's side — overly cautious and lacking creativity in possession — barely troubled Morocco or Brazil before exiting with little fanfare.
Clarke's dismissive post-match comments frustrated supporters, and the long-serving Scotland boss has since stepped down, closing out an otherwise distinguished tenure on a rather subdued note.
At least Scotland had that night at Fenway Park.
Türkiye
Türkiye wasn't quite the fashionable 'dark-horse' selection they had been ahead of Euro 2020, where they stumbled badly and suffered an embarrassing group stage exit.
Even so, many tipped Vincenzo Montella's lively squad, brimming with young talent, to make an impression on the other side of the Atlantic. Make an impression they certainly did — but only for the sheer wastefulness of their finishing.
The Turks astonishingly racked up 62 shots without finding the net across their opening two defeats, with Australia and Paraguay somehow managing to keep Montella's side scoreless. One of their brightest prospects, Kenan Yıldız, had 14 attempts on goal without a single conversion.
Türkiye were eliminated before Matchday 3, though they at least signed off on a positive note by narrowly defeating a heavily rotated USMNT in their final group game.
Tunisia
Unquestionably the worst side at the 2026 World Cup, and among the most uninspiring in the tournament's long history.
Tunisia's dysfunction was laid bare when Sabri Lamouchi became the first manager in nearly 100 years of World Cup history to be sacked after just one matchday. The federation turned to suave Frenchman Hervé Renard — the architect of Saudi Arabia's sensational upset over Argentina in Qatar — but this Tunisian squad was beyond repair.
After Lamouchi presided over a 5–1 thrashing at the hands of Sweden, Renard, who at least cut an impressive figure on the sideline, guided the Eagles of Carthage through a 4–0 loss to Japan and a 3–1 defeat to the Netherlands. There were two goals to take some consolation from, but there's no disguising just how wretched a tournament this was for Tunisia.