World Cup 2026 Wednesday takeaways: Mexico is perfect, South Africa is chaos and Korea and Scotland are on the brink

Mexico's group stage could not have gone better. Its stats read as follows: played three, won three, scored six, conceded zero. Not bad for a team that entered the tournament with serious doubts.

Also advancing out of Group A, incredibly, is South Africa. The Bafana Bafana kicked off the tournament in the worst possible way, losing 2-0 to Mexico while losing two players to red card offenses, but it bounced back to draw with Czechia, beat South Korea and earn its first-ever knockout-round berth. No one, up to and very much including South Africa itself, had this on the cards after that disastrous opening match—it's a joyous, chaotic turn of events that proves you can never quite predict how a World Cup will unfold. (Shout out to Chicago Fire defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi in South Africa's back line: his quick feet and cool head made the difference in the end.)

South Africa's last-gasp resurgence means that Son Heung-min's South Korea must wait until the end of the group stage to see if its three-point finish will be enough to get it to the knockout rounds as a third seed.

Group B

Confirmed to Advance: Switzerland (1B), Canada (2B)

On the Bubble: Bosnia and Herzegovina (4 points)

Eliminated: Qatar

Switzerland bounced back from a disappointing opening draw with Qatar to win Group B outright and secure itself a high seed in the knockout rounds. Attacker Johan Manzambi wound up being the creative difference maker for the Swiss; he appeared as a substitute to seal the team's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, then snatched a place in the starting eleven and sealed a win over host nation Canada, too. At just 20 years old, Manzambi has a bright future ahead of him, and this World Cup is turning out to be a fabulous showcase for his skills.

Canada entered Group B with the aim of winning it, and there were moments where that seemed possible (namely, its 6-0 hammering of Qatar on Matchday 2). A draw with Bosnia in its first game and a loss against Switzerland here made that dream impossible, though, and while Canada will advance, it will advance as a second seed. That reality means it will leave Canada and play its knockout matches in the States in front of far less sympathetic crowds.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, meanwhile, sits in the third-place bubble, but its four points make it far more likely to clinch a spot in the knockout rounds than Korea's three. Its likeliest opponent in the Round of 32 if its tally holds up? Why, the U.S. Men's National Team, of course.

Group C

Confirmed to Advance: Brazil (1C), Morocco (2C)

On the Bubble: Scotland (3 points)

Eliminated: Haiti

Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Jr. has delivered on his immense promise at this World Cup. He's scored four goals for the Selecao thus far, and his two beauties against Scotland on Matchday 3 sealed his side's first-place finish in Group C. Morocco, meanwhile, will have to settle for a second-place seed after falling behind Brazil on goal difference.

That leaves Scotland on the bubble in third place with three points—the Tartan Army now faces a nervy wait to see if that tally will push it into the knockout rounds or send it home early.