Argentina, Austria, and Algeria Advance to World Cup Knockout Stage

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The final positions for Group J have been determined at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, currently being hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Following the third and final round of group-stage matches, three national teams from this group guaranteed their advancement to the knockout stage, while one team was eliminated from the global tournament without earning a single point.

In Arlington, Texas, defending champions Argentina secured a 3-1 victory over Jordan. The Argentines took the lead in the first half courtesy of a 19th-minute strike from Giovani Lo Celso and a 31st-minute penalty kick converted by Lautaro Martinez. In the second half, Jordanian forward Mousa Al-Tamari reduced the deficit in the 55th minute, but Lionel Messi scored the third goal for the South American side in the 80th minute to establish the final score. Jordan finished at the bottom of the group.

In the other Group J match, held in Kansas City, Missouri, Austria and Algeria played to a high-scoring 3-3 draw. Marko Arnautovic opened the scoring for the Austrian team in the 28th minute, followed by Marcel Sabitzer in the 55th minute and Sasa Kalajdzic in the sixth minute of stoppage time (90+6). For the North African side, Rafik Belghali scored in the 45th minute, while star forward Riyad Mahrez recorded a brace with goals in the 60th and 90+3 minutes.

With these results, Argentina firmly secured first place in Group J, earning a maximum of nine points from three matches. Austria finished second in the final standings with four points, while Algeria placed third with the same number of points. Under the tournament regulations, which feature a round of 32 where the top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed teams advance, both Austria and Algeria successfully qualified for the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup based on tiebreakers.