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For the first time in a FIFA World Cup, finishing third in your group does not necessarily mean returning home.
With 48 teams competing in 2026, FIFA expanded the field to include the eight best third-place finishers in the 12 groups. The top two teams in each group automatically advance, and the remaining eight spots in the 32-team knockout bracket go to the third-highest-placed 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 of the final days of the group stage.
This is where the third-place seeding stands heading into the final round of group stage matches on June 23.
World Cup third place classification
| Range | Equipment | deputy | WDL | bride | Georgia | God | 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 | Czechia | 2 | 0-1-1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
| cutting 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 |
The third-place seeding will change considerably over the next two days as the final round of group stage matches are played. Follow the standings live on FOXSports.com and watch every game on FOX and FS1, streaming live on FOX One.
Qualification at the end of the Portugal match on June 23.
