<\/p>\n
Australia is on the brink of the FIFA World Cup knockout stage, but it\u2019ll all come down to the final group stage match against Paraguay on Friday afternoon – while passage beyond the first knockout round could be difficult.<\/p>\n
A 2-0 win over Turkiye was followed by a 2-0 loss to the USA, ending the Socceroos\u2019 hopes of winning the group. But Paraguay\u2019s 1-0 win over Turkiye means the Aussies now cannot come last.<\/p>\n
Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1<\/a>.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n The 48-team tournament means 32 nations will advance into the knockouts – 12 group winners, 12 runners-up and the eight best third-placed teams. And there are complex numbers behind who\u2019ll be placed where in the knockout bracket.<\/p>\n Below, we explain who the Socceroos can face in the knockout stage and how the third-place system works.<\/p>\n FULL 2026 WORLD CUP SCHEDULE WITH AUSTRALIAN TIMES AND DATES<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n SOCCEROOS DEF TURKIYE 2-0 <\/a><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n USA DEF SOCCEROOS 2-0<\/a><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n SOCCEROOS\u2019 WORLD CUP SCHEDULE (All times AEST)<\/b><\/p>\n Sunday June 14: Group D – Australia 2-0 Turkiye – 2pm, BC Place, Vancouver<\/p>\n Saturday June 20: Group D – USA 2-0 Australia – 5am, Lumen Field, Seattle<\/p>\n Friday June 26: Group D – Paraguay vs Australia – 12pm, Levi\u2019s Stadium, Santa Clara (San Francisco)<\/p>\n GROUP D STANDINGS <\/b><\/p>\n 1. USA (6 pts, +5 GD)<\/p>\n 2. Australia (3 pts, 0 GD)<\/p>\n 3. Paraguay (3 pts, -2 GD)<\/p>\n 4. Turkiye (0 pts, -3 GD)<\/p>\n Turkiye has been eliminated due to the head-to-head tiebreaker taking precedence over goal difference.<\/i><\/p>\n Leckie in doubt for Paraguay clash | 02:34<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with the most important part: beat or draw with Paraguay, and Australia will finish 2nd in the group. But it can get a bit more complex than that…<\/p>\n The path to a maiden World Cup knockouts win is harder than the Socceroos would\u2019ve hoped, after an unfavourable set of results in Group G.<\/p>\n The Socceroos go into the final groups matchday guaranteed of finishing 2nd or 3rd in the group, with Turkiye already eliminated, and a point against Paraguay will lock in second place and an easier round-of-32 clash.<\/p>\n That game would be played against the Group G runner-up at 4am AEST on Saturday July 4 in Dallas.<\/p>\n However earlier this week Belgium, the projected Group G winner and top seed, drew with Iran while Egypt came back to beat New Zealand.<\/p>\n That left Egypt as group favourite, ahead of their final day clash with Iran, who are now tied on two points with Belgium (who will face NZ).<\/p>\n While Belgium could still win the group on goal difference if Iran beats Egypt or they draw, the Belgians are now the most likely opponent for Australia in the round of 32. That may not sound terrifying but they do sit 10th in the FIFA rankings.<\/p>\n The winner of that game would then face either the Group J winner (Argentina) or the Group H runner-up (likely Cabo Verde, after their two surprising draws) in the round of 16.<\/p>\n Meanwhile the scenarios if the Socceroos finish in third – which will happen with a loss to Paraguay – have narrowed.<\/p>\n As long as the Socceroos aren\u2019t thrashed they should survive as one of the eight highest-ranked third-place teams – but would very likely face Germany in the round-of-32.<\/p>\n That game would be played at 6:30am AEST on Tuesday June 30 in Boston.<\/p>\n The alternative would be facing France at 7am AEST on Wednesday July 1 in New York, though the chances of drawing Germany are over 10 times greater.<\/p>\n As of Thursday afternoon<\/a>, Australia has a 35% chance to face Germany, a 33% chance to face Belgium, a 9% chance to face Iran or Egypt respectively, a 4% chance to face New Zealand, and a 1% chance to face France.<\/p>\n