2026 FIFA World Cup Standings API
Live group standings for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. All 12 group tables with played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, goal difference, and points - updated automatically as group-stage matches finish.
Live tables with tiebreakers applied
Standings update within seconds of a match finishing. FIFA tiebreakers are applied in order: points, goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head points, head-to-head goal difference, head-to-head goals scored, fair play points, drawing of lots. Every team row also exposes the tiebreaker that placed them ahead of (or behind) the next side.
Round of 32 qualification flags
The top two teams from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance to the new Round of 32. The standings endpoint flags each team's qualification status (qualified | possible | eliminated) and updates the flag after every group-stage result.
Best third-placed table
A dedicated cross-group "best third-placed" table is returned alongside the per-group tables. It is sorted by points → goal difference → goals scored → fair play points, exactly mirroring the FIFA tiebreaker order.
Form and last-five sequences
Each row includes a last-5 form string (W/D/L) and per-match summary so you can render compact form indicators in your UI without extra requests.
/football/standings
Use competition_id={COMPETITION_ID} to scope this endpoint to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The same endpoint works for 1,195 other competitions.
// Live group standings for the 2026 World Cup
const response = await fetch(
'https://api.thestatsapi.com/api/football/standings?competition_id={COMPETITION_ID}&season=2026',
{ headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' } }
);
const { data } = await response.json();
// 12 group tables with P, W, D, L, GF, GA, GD, PtsWhat the World Cup 2026 standings API returns
Selected fields from the JSON response. Full schema and example payloads are in the developer docs.
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| group | string | A–L group letter. |
| position | integer | 1–4 within the group. |
| team | object | Team identifier, name, and slug. |
| played / won / drawn / lost | integer | Match counts. |
| goals_for / goals_against / goal_diff | integer | Goal counts and signed difference. |
| points | integer | 3 for a win, 1 for a draw. |
| form | string | Last-5 W/D/L sequence, most recent last. |
| qualification_status | string | qualified | possible | eliminated. |
| rank_within_third_placed | integer? | 1–12 across groups when applicable. |
What developers build with the World Cup 2026 standings API
Live group widgets
Embed live group tables on news sites, fan portals, and second-screen apps.
Qualification trackers
Show who's through, who's out, and who's in the third-placed mix.
Fantasy and prediction games
Use form and standings to score user predictions per group.
Editorial dashboards
Power newsroom dashboards with all 12 tables in one screen.
Implementation notes
- Cache standings for ~60 seconds — they only mutate when a match ends.
- Order rows by position, not by points — the API has already applied FIFA tiebreakers.
- Highlight the qualification_status field visually (qualified / possible / eliminated).
- For "best third-placed" widgets, fetch /standings?group=third_placed instead of recomputing client-side.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are World Cup 2026 ties broken?
Order of FIFA tiebreakers: points, goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head points, head-to-head goal difference, head-to-head goals scored, fair play points, drawing of lots.
How are the best third-placed teams ranked?
The eight best third-placed teams across the 12 groups are ranked by points, then goal difference, then goals scored, and finally by fair play points (fewer disciplinary points wins).
How often are standings updated?
Standings refresh automatically within seconds of each group-stage match finishing. No polling delay — pull on demand or use webhooks for push updates.
Can I get standings for a single group?
Yes — filter the standings endpoint by group=A through L to get just that group's table, plus the cross-group third-placed table if requested.
Does the standings endpoint return knockout brackets?
No — use /football/brackets for the knockout draw. The standings endpoint is purely group-stage tables and the best-third-placed table.
What columns are returned per team row?
P, W, D, L, GF, GA, GD, Pts, form (last-5 W/D/L string), qualification_status, and rank_within_third_placed (where applicable).
How do I render a "live" standings widget?
Either poll /standings once per minute during the group stage or subscribe to the standings.updated webhook for push notifications when any table changes.
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