NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
For the first time at a FIFA World Cup, finishing third in your group doesn’t necessarily mean you go home.
With 48 teams competing in 2026, FIFA expanded the field to include the eight best third-place finishers across all 12 groups. The top two teams in each group automatically advance, with the remaining eight spots in the 32-team knockout bracket going to the highest-placed third-place teams, determined by points, goal difference, goals scored and other tiebreakers.
That means 12 teams will compete for eight spots, and the race to stay in the top eight is one of the most compelling subplots in the final days of the group stage.
Here is third place heading into the final round of group stage matches on June 23.
WC position in third place
| Rank | Team | M.P | WDL | GF | GO | DG | PTS |
| 1 | Sweden | 2 | 1-0-1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | Scotland | 2 | 1-0-1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Algeria | 2 | 1-0-1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
| 4 | Paraguay | 2 | 1-0-1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
| 5 | Cape Verde | 2 | 0-2-0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Belgium | 2 | 0-2-0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | DR Congo | 1 | 0-1-0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | The Czech Republic | 2 | 0-1-1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
| Cut line | |||||||
| 9 | Ecuador | 2 | 0-1-1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
| 10 | Bosnia-Herz. | 2 | 0-1-1 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 1 |
| 11 | Panama | 1 | 0-0-1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 12 | Senegal | 2 | 0-0-2 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 0 |
Third place will change significantly over the next two days as the final round of group stage matches are played. Follow live scores on FOXSports.com and watch every game on FOX and FS1, streaming live on FOX One.
The standings at the end of the Portugal match on 23 June.
