Round 29 of the Premier World League Season 2026 delivered another action-packed set of matches in Group A, with 16 games producing 47 goals. With the season consisting of 62 games, there are now just 33 rounds remaining, meaning the battle for the playoff places and international competitions is beginning to take shape.
The current table positions shown after Round 29 make the picture especially interesting: the top 16 qualify for the playoffs, while the top four earn the additional prize of a World Cup of Clubs place.
🔥 The World Cup of Clubs race
At the very top, Sport Boys remain the team to beat. Sitting in 1st place, they defeated Aucas 4–2 in an entertaining contest. Aucas, despite the defeat, remain inside the playoff zone in 7th.
Sporting Cristal, currently 2nd, were held to a 1–1 draw by Real Racing. It is a point gained, but with the leaders winning, Cristal missed an opportunity to close the gap.
Cienciano continued their excellent campaign with a convincing 4–1 victory over Arsenal, reinforcing their position in 3rd place. Cienciano's recent form is particularly impressive, with the team showing a perfect five-match winning streak coming into the round.
Valencia completed the current top four after a 3–2 victory over Calvary FC. The Spanish side now occupies the final World Cup of Clubs qualifying position, making every upcoming match increasingly important.
Current top four
- Sport Boys – World Cup of Clubs
- Sporting Cristal – World Cup of Clubs
- Cienciano – World Cup of Clubs
- Valencia – World Cup of Clubs
The margin between these four and the chasing pack could become extremely important during the remaining 33 rounds.
🏆 Playoff battle: Positions 1–16
The playoff picture currently extends down to Santa Fe in 16th place, making the fight for postseason qualification extremely competitive.
Deportivo Cali, sitting 5th, suffered a 3–1 defeat against Manchester United. Despite the setback, Cali remain comfortably inside the playoff positions for now.
Universitario strengthened their position in 6th with a convincing 3–0 victory over São Paulo. São Paulo, meanwhile, remain outside the playoff picture in 22nd.
Aucas occupy 7th despite their 4–2 loss to Sport Boys, while Hong Kong FC sit 8th after defeating Atlético Grau 2–1.
Chankas CYC claimed a valuable 2–1 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps and currently hold 9th place. Cruz Azul are 10th but had arguably the strongest result of the round, crushing Alianza Lima 4–1 away from home.
Manchester United's 3–1 victory over Deportivo Cali puts the English club in 13th, while Bolognesi occupy 14th after suffering a heavy 5–1 defeat to San Jose.
The playoff line is currently:
1–16 = Playoff qualification
16th-place Santa Fe will need to keep collecting points because the teams immediately below them are still within striking distance.
⚔️ The battle just outside the playoffs
The teams from 17th through 22nd have a different objective: qualification for the Friendly Cup.
Currently, the zone consists of:
- 17th – Deportivo Pereira
- 18th – Arsenal
- 19th – César Vallejo
- 20th – Real Racing
- 21st – Deportivo Saprissa
- 22nd – São Paulo
Deportivo Pereira earned a point after drawing 2–2 with César Vallejo, while Real Racing's 1–1 draw with Sporting Cristal was an excellent result against one of the league's top sides.
Saprissa, however, endured a difficult afternoon, losing 5–1 to Southam. That result could prove costly as they attempt to remain in the Friendly Cup positions.
São Paulo also suffered a 3–0 defeat to Universitario, leaving them precariously positioned at the bottom of the Friendly Cup zone.
👑 King's Cup race
Positions 23–26 qualify for the King's Cup, and the current occupants are:
23. Feyenoord
24. Libertad
25. Montreal Impact
26. Chelsea
Feyenoord lost a close 3–2 battle against Montreal Impact, meaning both clubs remain locked in the King's Cup area.
Chelsea picked up a valuable 2–1 victory over Libertad at Stamford Bridge. The three points are particularly important for Chelsea, who are currently 26th and sitting directly on the King's Cup qualification line.
There is plenty of football remaining, so these four places could change dramatically.
🚨 Relegation battle
Although the league format provides no relegation for the bottom spots in this season's competition, the bottom of the table still provides plenty of intrigue.
The current bottom six include:
- 27th – San Jose
- 28th – Calvary FC
- 29th – Universidad de Chile
- 30th – Danubio
- 31st – Pegasus
- 32nd – Southam
The bottom two are currently Pegasus and Southam, occupying the relegation spots.
Interestingly, Southam produced one of the biggest results of the round, destroying Deportivo Saprissa 5–1. Pegasus also picked up a much-needed victory, defeating Danubio 3–2.
Even though there is no relegation pressure in this season's format, both teams will certainly want to climb the standings and finish the campaign strongly.
⭐ Round 29 Match Highlights
Here are all 16 Group A results:
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| Bolognesi vs San Jose | 1–5 |
| Alianza Lima vs Cruz Azul | 1–4 |
| Cienciano vs Arsenal | 4–1 |
| Universitario vs São Paulo | 3–0 |
| Valencia vs Calvary FC | 3–2 |
| Chelsea vs Libertad | 2–1 |
| Manchester United vs Deportivo Cali | 3–1 |
| Sporting Cristal vs Real Racing | 1–1 |
| Montreal Impact vs Feyenoord | 2–3 |
| U de Chile vs Santa Fe | 3–2 |
| César Vallejo vs Deportivo Pereira | 2–2 |
| Hong Kong FC vs Atlético Grau | 2–1 |
| Sport Boys vs Aucas | 4–2 |
| Pegasus vs Danubio | 3–2 |
| Deportivo Saprissa vs Southam | 5–1 |
| Chankas CYC vs Vancouver Whitecaps | 2–1 |
📊 Round 29 at a glance
- 16 matches played
- 47 goals scored
- Biggest victory: Bolognesi 1–5 San Jose / Saprissa 5–1 Southam
- Most goals in a match: 6
- Top four: Sport Boys, Sporting Cristal, Cienciano and Valencia
- Playoff line: Santa Fe in 16th
- Friendly Cup zone: Deportivo Pereira through São Paulo, 17th–22nd
- King's Cup zone: Feyenoord through Chelsea, 23rd–26th
- Relegation spots: Pegasus and Southam
- Games remaining: 33
🔮 Looking ahead
With 33 games still to play, nothing is settled. Sport Boys have established themselves as the team at the summit, but Sporting Cristal, Cienciano and Valencia are keeping the World Cup of Clubs race competitive.
Further down, the playoff battle from 5th through 16th could become extremely congested, while the teams around the 16th–22nd positions will be fighting over the crucial boundary between playoff qualification and Friendly Cup football.
And with Chelsea, Montreal, Libertad and Feyenoord clustered around the King's Cup positions, even the lower half of the table has plenty to play for.
Round 29 has come and gone, but with more than half the season still ahead, Group A is far from decided.
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