The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached the stage where complex calculations begin to determine who has qualified, who has been eliminated, and what teams need to advance to the next round.
The current expanded version of the tournament, which has increased the number of teams from 32 to 48, has changed the competition system and the method of determining qualification in case of a tie in points between teams during the group stage.
For example, a new round, the round of 32, was added, whereas previously the group stage was immediately followed by the round of 16.
There is now an additional opportunity for teams to qualify even if they fail to finish in first or second place in their groups.
Here are the key things you need to know about qualifying for the round of 32.
How to qualify from the group stage
The expanded format of the tournament means there will be more groups and matches than in any previous edition of the World Cup.
By the end of the group stage, 72 matches will have been played to eliminate 16 teams.
The top two teams in each of the 12 groups qualify automatically, in addition to the eight best third-placed teams.
This is the first time since the 1994 World Cup, which featured only 24 teams, that third-place finishers have been given a chance to qualify for the knockout stages.
Head-to-head results before goal difference
For the first time in the World Cup, FIFA will rely on head-to-head results as the primary criterion for deciding when two or more teams are tied on points.
The final ranking in case of a tie will be determined according to the following sequence:
-The result of the direct confrontations between the teams concerned.
-Goal difference in matches between the teams concerned.
- The highest number of goals scored in those matches.
- Goal difference overall in all group matches.
- The highest number of goals scored in the group.
- Fewer yellow and red cards (including cards for members of the technical staff) during the group
Deciding which of the best third-placed teams will be decided
will involve coaches, players, and fans calculating the necessary scenarios to secure one of the eight spots allocated to the best third-placed teams, and goal difference could become a very decisive factor here.
For example, Scotland’s chances of qualifying from the group stage for the first time in its history may depend on avoiding a heavy defeat against Brazil.
Scotland had won their first match against Haiti before losing to Morocco.
The teams with the most points among the third-placed teams qualify. In case of a tie in points, goal difference is the first criterion for deciding, followed by the number of goals scored, then the disciplinary record related to red and yellow cards, and finally the FIFA world ranking.
