2026 FIFA World Cup Group J
FIFA World Cup group
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Group J of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is taking place from June 16 to 27, 2026.[1] The group consists of Argentina (title holders), Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. The top two teams, possibly along with the third-placed team, will advance to the round of 32.[2]
Teams
| Draw position | Team | Pot | Confederation | Method of qualification |
Date of qualification |
Finals appearance |
Last appearance |
Previous best performance |
FIFA Rankings[3][4] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2025[nb 1] | June 2026 | |||||||||
| J1 |  Argentina | 1 | CONMEBOL | CONMEBOL round robin winner | March 25, 2025 | 19th | 2022 | Winner (1978, 1986, 2022) | 2 | 1 |
| J2 |  Algeria | 3 | CAF | CAF Group G winner | October 9, 2025 | 5th | 2014 | Round of 16 (2014) | 35 | 28 |
| J3 |  Austria | 2 | UEFA | UEFA Group H winner | November 18, 2025 | 8th | 1998 | Third place (1954) | 24 | 24 |
| J4 |  Jordan | 4 | AFC | AFC third round Group B runner-up | June 5, 2025 | 1st | — | — | 66 | 63 |
Notes
- The rankings of November 2025 were used for seeding for the final draw.[5]
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Position will qualify for: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 3 | Knockout stage |
| 2 | Austria |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 | |
| 3 | Jordan |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 | Algeria |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | −3 | 0 |
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
In the round of 32:[2]
- The winner of Group J will advance to play the runner-up of Group H.
- The runner-up of Group J will advance to play the winner of Group H.
- The third-placed team of Group J might advance to play the winner of Group B, Group D, Group G, Group K, or Group L (if one of the eight best third-placed teams from the group stage).
Matches
All times listed are local.[1]
Argentina vs Algeria
Argentina had faced Algeria previously only once, a 4–3 friendly win in 2007.[6]
With his hat-trick, Lionel Messi equalled Miroslav Klose as the all-time top-scorer of the FIFA World Cup, with 16 goals.[7]
| Argentina | 3–0 | Algeria |
|---|---|---|
|
[Report 1] |
          Argentina[8]
|
     Algeria[8]
|
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[8]
|
Austria vs Jordan
The two teams had never met before. The fixture marked Jordan's debut at the FIFA World Cup.
| Austria | 3–1 | Jordan |
|---|---|---|
|
[Report 2] |
|
    Austria[10]
|
    Jordan[10]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[10]
|
Argentina vs Austria
The teams have met on two occasions, all of them friendlies, with the most recent being a 1–1 draw in 1990.[11]
| Argentina | Match 43 | Austria |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 3] |
  Argentina
|
 Austria
|
|
Assistant referees:
|
Jordan vs Algeria
The teams have previously faced each other three times, most recently in 2004, a 1–1 draw in a friendly.[12]
| Jordan | Match 44 | Algeria |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 4] |
   Jordan
|
     Algeria
|
|
Assistant referees:
|
Algeria vs Austria
The teams have met once before, in Austria's 2–0 group stage victory at the 1982 FIFA World Cup.[13]
| Algeria | Match 69 | Austria |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 5] |
Algeria
|
Austria
|
Jordan vs Argentina
The two teams have never met before.
| Jordan | Match 70 | Argentina |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 6] |
Jordan
|
    Argentina
|
Discipline
The team conduct ("fair play") score will be used as a tiebreaker if the head-to-head and overall records of teams are tied. It will also be used as a tiebreaker for the third-place ranking between groups if the overall records of teams are tied. The score will be calculated based on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials in all group matches as follows:[2]
- yellow card: −1 point;
- indirect red card (second yellow card): −3 points;
- direct red card: −4 points;
- yellow card and direct red card: −5 points;
Only one of the above deductions can be applied to a player or team official in a single match.
