The race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stages is intensifying as several teams have already secured their places in the Round of 32, while others face must-win matches in the final round of group-stage action.

Hosts Mexico, the United States, Germany, Argentina, France and Norway have all booked their spots in the knockout rounds after strong performances in the opening matches of the tournament. Meanwhile, Haiti, Türkiye, Tunisia, Jordan and Panama have been eliminated from contention.

Mexico have already wrapped up top spot in Group A and will enter the knockout phase as one of the tournament’s early success stories. The United States have also impressed, winning Group D after victories over Paraguay and Australia. Germany sealed first place in Group E with a dramatic comeback victory over Ivory Coast, while Argentina secured Group J thanks to Lionel Messi’s record-breaking brace against Austria.

Several groups remain wide open heading into the final matchday. In Group B, Canada and Switzerland are level on four points and will battle for first place, while Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar face elimination if they fail to win. Group C also remains tightly contested, with Brazil leading Morocco on goal difference and Scotland still in the hunt for automatic qualification.

One of the most intriguing groups is Group H, where Spain, Cape Verde, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia all still have realistic hopes of advancing. Spain are favourites to finish top, but Cape Verde’s impressive performances have kept them firmly in contention for a historic place in the knockout rounds.

The expanded 48-team tournament has introduced a new Round of 32 format, allowing the eight best third-placed teams from the 12 groups to advance. As a result, even teams that fail to finish in the top two of their groups may still qualify, making every goal and every point crucial in the final standings.

The knockout bracket is also beginning to take shape. Mexico, Germany, the United States and Argentina already know they will face either runners-up or qualifying third-placed teams from other groups, with several potential blockbuster matchups looming.

With the final group-stage fixtures set to be played over the coming days, nations across the globe will be watching closely as the battle for a place in the World Cup knockout rounds reaches its decisive stage.

Afghanistan is unable to fully participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) due to objections from one of the organization’s member states, according to Russian Presidential Special Envoy Zamir Kabulov.

Kabulov told Izvestia newspaper that Afghanistan remains formally an SCO observer, but its participation in the organization’s work has been largely frozen since the Islamic Emirate came to power. He said full participation requires consensus among all SCO members, and that such agreement has not yet been reached.

Kabulov did not name any specific country, stating only that one member state is preventing Afghanistan’s full integration into the organization. However, the report notes that experts believe Pakistan is the country most likely to be behind the objection, particularly given ongoing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad.

The Izvestia report highlights that relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have deteriorated in recent years, including cross-Durand Line clashes and mutual accusations over militant activity. These tensions are seen as a key factor complicating regional cooperation within the SCO framework.

The article also notes that the SCO continues to face structural challenges, including unclear membership categories such as observers and dialogue partners, which have created bureaucratic delays and complications. As a result, Afghanistan remains in a “limbo” status within the organization.

Kabulov added that Russia is attempting to help stabilize the situation, and said representatives of the Islamic Emirate are expected to participate in upcoming meetings of the Moscow Format on Afghanistan.

The report concludes that while SCO members cooperate on regional security issues, the organization’s consensus-based structure limits its ability to resolve internal disputes or fully integrate Afghanistan at this stage.

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has praised the Afghan authorities for their efforts to combat drug trafficking, saying they have significantly reduced the production and export of hard drugs.

Speaking to journalists following his visit to India for a BRICS meeting, Shoigu said the Afghan authorities had fulfilled their commitment to tackle the narcotics trade.

“They intended to do it, they intended to do it, and they did it,” Shoigu said.

According to the Russian official, Afghanistan has been able to almost completely suppress the production and export of hard drugs, resulting in a sharp decline in drug trafficking.

“The figure for drug trafficking has already been mentioned, but I can repeat it. As they promised, in fact, if we’re talking about hard drugs, they reduced production and, naturally, export from Afghanistan by almost 90%,” Shoigu said.

His remarks came after meetings held on the sidelines of a BRICS gathering in India, where regional security and cooperation issues were discussed.