The extended nature of the 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup means teams can qualify for the knockout stages even by finishing third in the group stage.
With a round of 32, the top two teams from each group will advance in the knockouts alongside eight third-placed teams.
Once the group stage ends, the twelve third-place teams will be clubbed together. The top eight are then determined based on the following criteria, in descending order:
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highest number of points achieved in all group matches
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goal difference resulting from all group matches
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highest number of goals scored in all group matches
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highest team behavior score (players and team officials) related to the number of yellow and red cards received in all group matches
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the two or more teams still tied on points are ranked according to the most recently published edition of the FIFA Men’s World Rankings
Points table for the third-placed teams after round 1
1st: Netherlands (Group F) – 1 point
2nd: Brazil (Group C) – 1 point
3rd: Belgium (Group G) – 1 point
4th: Qatar (Group B) – 1 point
5th: Portugal (Group K) – 1 point
6th: Spain (Group H) – 1 point
7th: Czech Republic (Group A) – 0 points
8th: Ecuador (Group E) – 0 points
9th: Panama (Group L) – 0 points
10th: Senegal (Group I) – 0 points
11th: Jordan (Group J) – 0 points
12th: Turkey (Group D) – 0 points
The Netherlands leads the pack as they scored two goals in the draw. The remaining teams with one point each are sorted based on behavior score and FIFA ranking.
Published on June 18, 2026
