A true "group of death"? Netherlands and Japan eliminated on the same day, both out of the round of 16! Sweden to face France, worth 1.5 billion euros

On June 30, Beijing time, three more matches of the World Cup round of 16 took place. The two Group F teams that played, the Netherlands and Japan, both lost to their opponents and missed out on the round of 16. The teams from this World Cup's so-called "group of death" are nearly all "dead."[Watch the World Cup on Migu Video]

In this World Cup, three teams from Group F advanced: the Netherlands, Japan, and Sweden. Japan, who played first, led Brazil at halftime but collapsed in the second half, conceding two goals in a comeback—especially the winning goal scored in stoppage time. Japan also extended their curse of never winning a knockout match in their history.

Japan, the second-place team in Group F, was eliminated, and the group winner, the Netherlands, also failed to progress. Facing Morocco, who are ranked one place higher in the world, the Dutch struggled. They took the lead but conceded a stoppage-time equalizer. In the subsequent penalty shootout, the Netherlands missed three spot kicks, losing 2-3 and exiting with a 4-5 aggregate defeat.

With group winner Netherlands and runner-up Japan both out, only third-place Sweden remains from Group F. At 5:00 AM on the 31st, Sweden will face France, the top favorite with a total squad value of 1.5 billion euros. Given France's excellent form and nearly flawless squad, Sweden's chances look bleak.

Perhaps after tomorrow, the teams from Group F of this World Cup will become the first group to have all its members eliminated.

Watch the World Cup on Migu Video. The 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico is in full swing. Watch all matches of the 48 teams on Migu Video.