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 3 points (Senegal, Group I), with Iran the first team below the line. Qualified third-placed teams: Congo DR, Sweden, Ecuador, Ghana, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Algeria, Paraguay, Senegal.
| Équipe | Gr | J | Dif | BP | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  RD CongoQ | K | 3 | +1 | 4 | 4 |
| 2 |  SuèdeQ | F | 3 | 0 | 7 | 4 |
| 3 |  ÉquateurQ | E | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 4 |  GhanaQ | L | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 5 |  Bosnie-HerzégovineQ | B | 3 | -1 | 5 | 4 |
| 6 |  AlgérieQ | J | 3 | -2 | 5 | 4 |
| 7 |  ParaguayQ | D | 3 | -2 | 2 | 4 |
| 8 |  SénégalQ | I | 3 | +2 | 8 | 3 |
| Qualification cut-off — top 8 advance | ||||||
| 9 |  IranOUT | G | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 10 |  Corée du SudOUT | A | 3 | -1 | 2 | 3 |
| 11 |  ÉcosseOUT | C | 3 | -3 | 1 | 3 |
| 12 |  UruguayOUT | H | 3 | -1 | 3 | 2 |
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.