World Cup 2018 groups: current standings and table

Is qualification out of reach for Lionel Messi and Argentina? Credit: Getty Image

Spain and Portugal are through, Argentina are on the brink of elimination. The 2018 Fifa World Cup's eight groups are shaping up nicely as we head into the final round of group games – but who is in best shape to progress to the round of 16?
Groups A and B have finished - and now it is on to Groups C and D.

Here are the group tables, latest standings and permutations with 16 games to go before the knockout rounds.

Last December's draw in Moscow saw England placed in Group E with Belgium, Tunisia and Panama. The top two in the group will qualify for the knockout stages.
You can find details about each team, the World Cup group they are in and our prediction on who makes it through right here.

Which teams are out of the 2018 World Cup?

At the start of Tuesday: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Iran, Peru, Costa Rica, Panama, Tunisia and Poland are all eliminated.

Group A - Uruguay, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt

Group A

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Uruguay	3	3	0	0	5	9
2	Russia	3	2	0	1	4	6
3	Saudi Arabia	3	1	0	2	-5	3
4	Egypt	3	0	0	3	-4	0

• Russia 5 Saudi Arabia 0
• Egypt 0 Uruguay 1
• Russia 3 Egypt 1
• Uruguay 1 Saudi Arabia 0
• Uruguay 3 Russia 0
• Saudi Arabia 2-1 Egypt

Our pre-tournament group prediction:Uruguay and Egypt to go through.

Next up:Russia face Spain; Uruguay take on Portugal.

Group B - Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Iran

Group B

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Spain	3	1	2	0	1	5
2	Portugal	3	1	2	0	1	5
3	Iran	3	1	1	1	0	4
4	Morocco	3	0	1	2	-2	1

• Morocco 0 Iran 1
• Portugal 3 Spain 3
• Portugal 1 Morocco 0
• Iran 0 Spain 1
• Iran 1 Portugal 1
• Spain 2 Morocco 2

Our pre-tournament group prediction:Portugal and Spain to go through.
Next up: Russia face Spain; Uruguay take on Portugal.

Group C - France, Australia, Peru, Denmark

Group C

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	France	2	2	0	0	2	6
2	Denmark	2	1	1	0	1	4
3	Australia	2	0	1	1	-1	1
4	Peru	2	0	0	2	-2	0

• France 2 Australia 1
• Peru 0 Denmark 1
• Denmark 1 Australia 1
• France 1 Peru 0

To come:

• Denmark vs France
• Australia vs Peru

Our pre-tournament group prediction: France and Denmark to go through
With one game to go: Table-topping France have already qualified and only need to avoid defeat against Denmark to win the group. A draw would be enough for Denmark to progress; if they lose, then a win for Australia against Peru - who have already been eliminated - would see them leapfrogged into third place.

Group D - Argentina, Iceland, Croatia, Nigeria

Group D

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Croatia	2	2	0	0	5	6
2	Nigeria	2	1	0	1	0	3
3	Iceland	2	0	1	1	-2	1
4	Argentina	2	0	1	1	-3	1

• Argentina 1 Iceland 1
• Croatia 2 Nigeria 0
• Argentina 0 Croatia 3
• Nigeria 2 Iceland 0

To come:

• Nigeria vs Argentina
• Iceland vs Croatia

Our pre-tournament group prediction: Argentina and Croatia to go through

With one game to go: Croatia have already qualified and would need a remarkable collapse to finish anywhere but top. The race for second is complicated. Nigeria will definitely qualify if they beat Argentina; if they draw, they will still go through provided Iceland do not beat Croatia, or win by more than a two-goal margin. If Iceland and Argentina both win, it would come down to goal difference, with Argentina needing to win by at least one more goal than Iceland to overhaul them. A draw is no good to either of them.

Group E - Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia

Group E

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Brazil	2	1	1	0	2	4
2	Switzerland	2	1	1	0	1	4
3	Serbia	2	1	0	1	0	3
4	Costa Rica	2	0	0	2	-3	0

• Costa Rica 0 Serbia 1
• Brazil 1 Switzerland 1
• Brazil 2 Costa Rica 0
• Serbia 1 Switzerland 2

To come:

• Serbia vs Brazil
• Switzerland vs Costa Rica

Our pre-tournament group prediction: Brazil and Switzerland to go through
With one game to go: The only thing certain in Group E is that Costa Rica are out. Brazil will go through if they avoid defeat against Serbia; similarly, if Switzerland beat or draw with Costa Rica, they will go through. Serbia will go through if they beat Brazil, In that event, Brazil would only be saved if Switzerland lost to Costa Rica and there wasn't a big goal swing against them.

Group F - Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea

Group F

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Mexico	2	2	0	0	2	6
2	Germany	2	1	0	1	0	3
3	Sweden	2	1	0	1	0	3
4	Korea Republic	2	0	0	2	-2	0

• Germany 0 Mexico 1
• Sweden 1 South Korea
• South Korea 1 Mexico 2
• Germany 2 Sweden 1

To come:

• South Korea vs Germany
• Mexico vs Sweden

Our pre-tournament group prediction: Germany and Mexico to go through
With one game to go: Mexico mathematically need one more point against Sweden to be certain of progressing as group winners. Second place is still a three-way tussle: Germany will qualify if they beat South Korea and Sweden do not beat Mexico by a bigger margin. Sweden will qualify if they beat Mexico and Germany fail to beat South Korea, or if they win by a bigger margin than Joachim Low's side. Most improbably, South Korea could qualify if they beat Germany by three goals, and Sweden lose.

Group G - Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England

Group G

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	England	2	2	0	0	6	6
2	Belgium	2	2	0	0	6	6
3	Tunisia	2	0	0	2	-4	0
4	Panama	2	0	0	2	-8	0

• Belgium 3 Panama 0
• Tunisia 1 England 2
• Belgium 5 Tunisia 2
• England 6 Panama 1

To come:

• England vs Belgium
• Panama vs Tunisia

Our pre-tournament group prediction: Belgium and England to go through
With one game to go: If England beat Belgium in Kaliningrad on Thursday they will win the group; if they lose, they will progress as runners-up. If the game ends a draw, the sides will be level on points, goal difference and goals scored, meaning top spot will go to the side with a better disciplinary record (England currently have two yellow cards to Belgium's three); if this is also level, lots will be drawn. Tunisia and Panama are out.

Group H - Poland, Senegal, Colombia, Japan

Group H

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Japan	2	1	1	0	1	4
2	Senegal	2	1	1	0	1	4
3	Colombia	2	1	0	1	2	3
4	Poland	2	0	0	2	-4	0

• Colombia 1 Japan 2
• Poland 1 Senegal 2
• Japan 2 Senegal 2
• Poland 0 Colombia 3

To come:

• Japan vs Poland
• Senegal vs Colombia

Our pre-tournament group prediction: Poland and Colombia to go through

With one game to go: Firstly, Poland are out. The winner of Colombia vs Senegal is guaranteed a place in the last 16, while a draw will be enough for each if Japan lose to Poland. If Japan and Senegal both win, who tops the group will be decided on goal difference and then goals scored.