All 32 teams participating in the 2022 FIFA World Cup knew one truth entering Qatar: After 13 days of Group play competition only 16 teams would remain in the field.
It's a painful yet fair truth. Two teams from each of the eight groups must go home and the bracket whittled down before the tournament can go on.
Oh, and will it go on. The first game of the round of 16 features a young and hungry American team making plenty of noise at home and abroad against a veteran Netherlands squad that finished as the World Cup runner-up in 2010.
From there, the knockout stage will include plenty of other World Cup upstarts. Australia, Senegal, Morocco -- who had those three nations advancing out of Group play?
Of course, the fun journey of one nation means the despair of another who's run has come to an early end. Let's take a see who has packed their bags and left Qatar.
Which teams have been eliminated from the 2022 World Cup?
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These are the countries that have been eliminated from the 2022 tournament so far.
- Group A: Ecuador, Qatar
- Group B: Iran, Wales
- Group C: Mexico, Saudi Arabia
- Group D: Tunisia, Denmark
- Group E: Costa Rica, Germany
- Group F: Canada, Belgium
- Group G: Cameroon, Serbia
- Group H: Ghana, Uruguay
Groups G and H concluded Group play action in Qatar on Friday. Uruguay joined Belgium and Germany as the biggest disappointments in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
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South Korea surprised Portugal with a 2-1 win Friday morning, and now gets to advance to the round of 16.
Portugal, winners of Group G, await the second-place team from Group G.
The 16th and final spot in the tournament went to Switzerland who defeated Serbia 3-2 on Friday afternoon.
Brazil had already qualified and claimed one of the two spots from Group G. They went on to win the group, despite a surprising 1-0 loss to Cameroon on the final day of Group competition.
Switzerland advances to take on Portugal, while Brazil faces South Korea next week.
