The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest ever in numerous ways. It will have 48 teams playing across 16 cities in three co-host countries, all the most ever in World Cup history.
Those 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of four with each team playing its group stage opponents for a total of three first-round games per side. And while we should expect surprises and drama throughout the group-stage games, it will only be multiplied when we get to the knockout rounds with all eyes toward the final on July 19.
There are a couple of important format changes at this tournament as to see which teams will reach the knockout portion. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups – plus the top eight third-place teams across the board – will then reach the first ever Round of 32 at a World Cup. Let’s dive into how it all works.
How Did The Group Stage Work Before?
From 1998 to 2022, there were 32 teams per tournament. The teams were divided into groups of four, and the top two teams in each group (16 total) advanced to the knockout rounds. That created a Round of 16 with the winners then reaching the quarterfinals (eight teams). The four winners then contested the semifinals and then the last two teams left played for the ultimate prize.
How Does That Work With 48 Teams?
Instead of 16 teams advancing, 32 will make it out of the group stage in 2026. That means a whole new knockout round will be needed (a Round of 32), which will begin right after the completion of the group stage. So for a team to win the final, it will need to play:
– 3 Group Stage Games
– 1 Round of 32 Game
– 1 Round of 16 Game
– 1 Quarterfinal Game
– 1 Semifinal Game
– 1 Final
That’s a total of eight games, a change from previous World Cup tournaments where seven games were needed to reach the grand finale.
How Do Points Work? How Do Tiebreakers Work?
In a group, a team will earn three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. That could mean some teams are equal on points at the end of the three-game group stage. That leads us to tiebreakers.
If two or more teams finish equal on group-stage points, here is the order on who finishes on top:
1. Most points obtained in the group matches played between the tied teams;
2. Superior goal difference in the group matches played between the tied teams;
3. Most goals scored in the group matches played between the tied teams;
There are even more tiebreakers if any teams remained locked after all that. From there, ties are broken by these rules:
4. Superior goal difference in all group matches
5. Most goals scored in all group matches
6. Highest team conduct score in all group matches (taking into account yellow cards and red cards)
7. FIFA World Ranking
Third-Place Teams: Which Ones Will Advance?
To fill out the World Cup knockout bracket, the best eight third-place teams out of the possible 12 in the tournament will advance. The criteria for those teams are based on:
1. Points
2. Goal difference
3. Goals scored
4. Highest team conduct score in all group matches (taking into account yellow cards and red cards)
5. FIFA World Ranking
