Winners and Losers of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage

The FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage is done.

Co-hosts Mexico, Canada and the United States all made it through with little problem. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and the world's biggest names largely put on a show, producing one of the best Golden Boot races in a long time.

New heroes were made along the way. And don't forget, the need to take on water at every opportunity.

Here are your winners and losers so far.

Winners: The USMNT

Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

Two wins out of three is pretty good going for the USMNT, especially when you consider the doom and gloom around Mauricio Pochettino's side heading into the tournament.

A group of Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye always needed to yield at least six points for some positivity. It's a sign of real progress that, even with a largely second-string team out against the Europeans on Thursday, supporters were disappointed to lose 3-2 in a match that held very little prominence after the team's previous two wins.

And what wins they were! Six points is great, but the way in which Poch's side accumulated them is arguably more important. 

The USMNT's most impressive performance so far came in the opening win over Paraguay, a 4-1 destruction led by Folarin Balogun's brace. Individual performances across the pitch were defined by energy, hard work and gutsiness. The 2-0 follow-up over Australia just reconfirmed something a lot of American fans probably don't want to admit: they are a good side when it all clicks.

A Round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina is a fine reward and a match the USMNT should win. Beyond that, it could be Belgium, then Spain. While it will get tougher as the tournament goes on, a deep run into the competition is right there if the level of performance continues.

Loser: The New Format

Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images

A fundamental change to the group stage essentially meant multiple games became near pointless in the final round of matches before the knockouts.

FIFA's decision to place a tiebreaker emphasis on head-to-head rather than the traditional goal difference meant some group matches were weighted more heavily than others.

It also meant potential third-place nations who kicked off earlier in the final set of fixtures, such as Scotland, had less of an idea of what they needed to do to qualify than those at the end of the matchday. With the best eight third-place teams progressing, knowing that one goal could swing it in your favour would undoubtedly change the strategy.

The practical impact of the switch could also be felt. Many teams rotated more than they normally would. There was no need for those looking to catch up to really throw caution to the wind to claw back vital goals from their rivals. Not losing an earlier match felt like a trump card that probably hadn't been considered until it was too late.

Winner: The Golden Boot Race

Maddie Meyer - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

We have been blessed with top players performing at an elite level in this tournament. 

Just take a look at the top scorer's chart after three matches: Lionel Messi (6), Kylian Mbappé (4), Vinicius Junior (4), Ousmane Dembélé (4), Erling Haaland (4). Harry Kane isn't far behind with 3.

Messi deserves a solo mention, largely because many questioned whether he would even make it to this competition. Not only has he made it, but he's also playing his best football since the last World Cup, scoring in every match so far (and a record seven straight dating back to the previous tournament). Argentina still completely relies on him. Unlike Ronaldo, his presence doesn't feel detrimental to the team's overall play. He still enhances those around him.

However you feel about these players, both Messi and Ronaldo are unlikely to be at the next showpiece. Right now, we have undeniable GOATs wrestling with the next in line for the Golden Boot. That's a wonderful, and quite uniquely brilliant, moment to be in.

Loser: Hydration Breaks

Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

American sports fans are used to their watching experience being interrupted by commercials. So much so, it's a legit reason to tune into the Super Bowl, a spectacle that a cynic might suggest is an opportunity to see big-money trailers and exciting reveals with some sport taking place around it.

That energy has fed into the World Cup, masquerading as 'hydration breaks'. US viewers are essentially being fed four quarters of a match, broken up by adverts, while the rest of us have to sit back and listen to commentators moan for three minutes.

Now, any player can grab a drink at any time. There's no rule around stopping that. But the 'hydration breaks' formalising mass breaks has actually started to throw up ridiculous situations. 

A long injury stoppage just before the scheduled hydration break during England's draw with Ghana saw players head over to the bench for a drink en masse. The referee literally tried to stop them from doing it. The ball went back into play for a few seconds, and he allowed it, wasting another three minutes. 

Player welfare and common sense out the window so that more cash can be made? Wait for the discourse around the extended halftime at the final…

Winners: Viral Goalkeepers

David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Vozinha and Eloy Room. Two goalkeepers you probably hadn't heard of before this tournament.

At 40 years old, Cape Verde stopper Vozinha held European champions Spain to a goalless draw in his country's first-ever World Cup match. He faced eight shots on target and his team had just 26% possession. He is now scheduled to take on Messi and Argentina!

The historic performance thrust Vozinha into a limelight that he never would have imagined during his time with Gil Vicente and AEL Limassol, the two biggest clubs in a career that also includes spells in Angola, Moldova and Slovakia. He went from under 50K followers on Instagram to over 14 million - making him one of the top 10 most-followers goalkeepers on the planet.

Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room then put on a magical performance in the 0-0 draw with Ecuador, including a stunning early save to deny Enner Valencia. He equalled the all-time record of 15 saves in a World Cup match. His follower count rocketed, although not on the level of Vozinha, and at 37 years old, a new star was born.

That's what the World Cup is all about.