FIFA WM 2026
Best third-placed teams
8 of the 12 third-placed teams reach the Round of 32 — ranked live by points, goal difference and goals scored.
At the FIFA World Cup 2026, the 8 best third-placed teams from the 12 groups join the Round of 32. As it stands, the cut-off sits at 2 points (Belgium, Group G), with Czechia the first team below the line.
| Team | Gr | Sp | TD | T | Pkt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Bosnien und HerzegowinaIN | B | 3 | -1 | 5 | 4 |
| 2 |  SchwedenIN | F | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
| 3 |  KroatienIN | L | 2 | -1 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 |  AlgerienIN | J | 2 | -2 | 2 | 3 |
| 5 |  ParaguayIN | D | 2 | -2 | 2 | 3 |
| 6 |  SchottlandIN | C | 3 | -3 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 |  Kap VerdeIN | H | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 8 |  BelgienIN | G | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Qualification cut-off — top 8 advance | ||||||
| 9 |  TschechienOUT | A | 2 | -1 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 |  DR KongoOUT | K | 2 | -1 | 1 | 1 |
| 11 |  EcuadorOUT | E | 2 | -1 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 |  SenegalOUT | I | 2 | -3 | 3 | 0 |
IN Provisionally advancing OUT Below the line
How third-place qualification works
The 2026 World Cup has 48 teams in 12 groups of four. The top two of every group qualify automatically (24 teams). The eight best third-placed teams — compared across all groups by points, then goal difference, then goals scored — fill the remaining knockout spots, for 32 teams in the Round of 32.