What Is Group H in the 2026 World Cup?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to feature 48 national teams, divided into 12 groups labelled A through L. Group H is one of these pools, containing four teams that compete in a round-robin format during the group stage. Each team plays exactly three matches — one against each of the other three sides in the group — so every game carries significant weight.

Points earned across those three games determine which teams advance. With 48 teams spread across 12 groups instead of the previous 32-team, 8-group format, the tournament is longer and more complex to follow, but the group stage logic is the same: finish high enough in your group and you move on to the knockout rounds.

The group stage for the 2026 World Cup runs from 11 June through 1 July 2026, with matches hosted across venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Group H games are scheduled at specific host cities — check the official FIFA match schedule on FIFA.com or the FIFA+ app to find exact venues and kick-off times converted to your local time zone.

Where to Check Group H Standings Live

Multiple reliable sources update Group H standings in real time during and after each match. Here are the best options:

• FIFA.com — The official source. Navigate to the 2026 FIFA World Cup section, select the Groups tab, and choose Group H. The table refreshes automatically after every goal and at full time, with all columns including goal difference and goals for and against.
• Google Search — Type Group H World Cup standings into Google. A live standings panel appears directly at the top of search results, requiring no further click. It shows current points, goal difference, and matches played for all four Group H teams.
• ESPN — On the ESPN website or app, navigate to Soccer, then FIFA World Cup 2026, then Standings. ESPN displays all table columns and updates within seconds of events during play.
• BBC Sport — The BBC Sport World Cup hub carries a live standings table in the Scores and Fixtures section. It updates throughout coverage and is particularly useful for fans in the UK accessing free-to-air broadcast information.
• FIFA+ App — Download the free FIFA+ app on iOS or Android. Open the 2026 World Cup section, tap Groups, then Group H. Enable push notifications for Group H teams to receive alerts after each full-time result without having to open the app manually.
• FlashScore or SofaScore — These third-party live scores apps update standings mid-match with every goal, making them useful when you want real-time changes rather than waiting for a full-time refresh.

For the clearest picture during live matches, keep FIFA.com open in one tab for the official standings and a live score app open in another for goal-by-goal updates as they happen.

How to Read the Group H Standings Table

The Group H standings table uses standard football column abbreviations. Here is what each one means:

• P — Matches Played. Ranges from 0 to 3 during the group stage. All four teams will have played 3 by the end.
• W — Wins. Each win earns the team 3 points.
• D — Draws. Each draw earns the team 1 point.
• L — Losses. Each loss earns the team 0 points.
• GF — Goals For. The total number of goals the team has scored across all group games.
• GA — Goals Against. The total number of goals the team has conceded across all group games.
• GD — Goal Difference. Calculated as GF minus GA. A positive number means the team has scored more than it has conceded; a negative number means the reverse.
• Pts — Points. Calculated as (3 × W) + (1 × D). This is the primary ranking criterion.

Teams are ranked from top to bottom by Pts. A team that wins all three group matches earns 9 points — the maximum possible. A team that loses all three earns 0. In practice, most qualification battles are settled between 4 and 7 points, where goal difference is often the deciding factor between first and second place.

Goal difference is not just a vanity statistic. It is the first tiebreaker, which means winning by large margins when your team dominates creates a cushion that can separate teams later. A 3–0 win early in the group stage can prove decisive on the final match day.

Tiebreaker Rules for Group H Explained

When two or more Group H teams finish level on points after three games, FIFA applies the following tiebreakers in strict order. The first rule that separates them is applied and the rest are ignored:

1. Goal difference in all group matches — The team with the higher overall GD ranks first. For example, a GD of +3 ranks above a GD of +1.
2. Goals scored in all group matches — If GD is identical, the team that scored more total goals across all three group games ranks higher.
3. Points in head-to-head matches between only the tied teams — This looks solely at the result of the match played between the two tied teams. A win in that head-to-head is worth 3 points here, a draw 1 point.
4. Goal difference in head-to-head matches — If head-to-head points are equal (for example, both teams drew the match between them), goal difference from that specific match is compared.
5. Goals scored in head-to-head matches — If head-to-head goal difference is also equal, the team that scored more in that specific match ranks higher.
6. Fair play points — Fewest disciplinary deductions. A yellow card is worth −1 point, a red card −3, and a yellow followed by red −3.
7. Drawing of lots — Only used if every previous criterion still shows a tie. The FIFA Organising Committee draws lots. This is extremely rare.

In practice, tiebreakers 1 and 2 resolve the vast majority of ties. The head-to-head rules only activate when teams are equal on both overall goal difference and total goals scored — which is statistically uncommon but does occasionally occur in tightly contested groups.

How to Set Up Alerts for Group H Results

Rather than repeatedly refreshing standings pages, set up notifications so Group H updates come directly to you:

• FIFA+ push notifications — Open the FIFA+ app, find each Group H team's profile page, and tap Follow. Under notification settings, choose Match events to receive alerts for goals, red cards, half time, and full time. You will get a notification within seconds of each event.
• Google Follow on Android — Search for any Group H team name on Google, then tap the Follow button that appears on the team card in search results. The Google app sends a push notification to your phone after each result, with the score and updated group position.
• ESPN App alerts — In the ESPN app, search for a Group H team, tap the star or Follow icon on the team profile, and set notification preferences to include final scores. Alerts arrive within seconds of the full-time whistle.
• Apple Sports App (iPhone) — On iPhone running iOS 17.2 or later, open the built-in Apple Sports app and follow Group H teams. The app surfaces live scores and a standings summary directly from the Today view widget, without requiring a separate app.
• Browser push notifications — Sites including BBC Sport and FlashScore offer browser-level push notifications. Allow them once on your desktop browser, and result pop-ups appear even when the tab is closed, as long as the browser is running.

Combining one full-standings source (FIFA.com or ESPN) with one real-time notification system (FIFA+ or Google Follow) gives you both the big picture and instant updates without information overload.

What Happens After the Group Stage Ends?

Once all Group H matches are complete and standings are confirmed, each team's path is determined as follows:

First and second place — automatic qualification: The team finishing first in Group H and the team finishing second both advance directly to the Round of 32. Their position in the knockout bracket is pre-assigned based on the tournament draw format: Group H's first-place team faces a specific opponent from another group, and second place faces a different assigned opponent.

Third place — conditional qualification: The team finishing third in Group H remains in contention. In the 48-team 2026 format, all 12 third-place finishers are ranked together by points, goal difference, goals scored, and fair play points. The eight with the strongest records advance to the Round of 32. A third-place finish with 6 points (two wins, one loss) typically qualifies. A third-place finish on 3 points (one win, two losses) usually does not, though an exceptional goal difference can help near the cut-off.

Fourth place — elimination: The team finishing fourth in Group H goes home, regardless of points or goal difference relative to other groups.

Knockout stage format: Both qualifying teams from Group H enter the Round of 32 with a completely clean slate — no points or goal difference carries over. Every subsequent match is a single knockout game. If scores are level after 90 minutes, the match goes to 30 minutes of extra time. If still tied, a penalty shootout decides the winner.

Common Mistakes When Following Group Standings

A few misunderstandings regularly trip up fans who are new to tracking group stage tables:

• Confusing goal difference with goals scored — A team with 5 goals scored but 4 conceded (GD +1) ranks below a team with 3 goals scored but 0 conceded (GD +3), even though the first team scored more. Goal difference is what matters for tiebreaking, not raw goals.
• Assuming the group is settled after two match days — After two rounds of games, standings look definitive but can still flip entirely on match day 3. A three-goal swing in a single game has sent table-topping teams home before. Never treat the group as decided before the third and final round.
• Forgetting the third-place route — In the old 32-team format, finishing third meant guaranteed elimination. In 2026, third place still has a real qualification path. Do not assume your team is out just because they finished third in Group H — check the overall third-place ranking table on FIFA.com to see whether they are in the top eight.
• Reading standings during a match as final — Live standings mid-match reflect the current score, not the full-time result. A team that appears to be advancing with 15 minutes left can still concede and drop positions. Always wait for the full-time whistle before drawing conclusions about who goes through.
• Ignoring simultaneous kick-offs on the final match day — Because both Group H games kick off at the same time on match day 3, you cannot watch one game and assume the other has not started. Use a split-screen app or open two separate tabs to track both matches simultaneously.