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 2
1st: Sweden (Group F) – 3 points (0 GD)
2nd: Scotland (Group C) – 3 points (0 GD)
3rd: Croatia (Group L) – 3 points (-1 GD)
4th: Algeria (Group J) – 3 points (-2 GD)
5th: Paraguay (Group D) – 3 points (-2 GD)
6th: Cape Verde (Group H) – 2 points (0 GD)
7th: Belgium (Group G) – 2 points (0 GD)
8th: Czech Republic (Group A) – 1 point (-1 GD)
9th: DR Congo (Group K) – 1 point (-1 GD)
10th: Ecuador (Group E) – 1 point (-1 GD)
11th: Bosnia-Herzegovina (Group B) – 1 point (-3 GD)
12th: Senegal (Group I) – 0 points (-3 GD)
There are five teams with three points each. Among them, only Sweden and Scotland have a non-negative goal difference, which puts them at the top of the table. Sweden leads Scotland as it has scored more goals.
Published on June 24, 2026
