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Expanded format alters third-placed team qualification for World Cup

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 24, 2026, 10:01 AM

Last updated Jun 24, 2026

Expanded format alters third-placed team qualification for World Cup

Summary

The 2026 World Cup features an expanded 48-team format that revives the qualifying mechanics for the best third-placed teams. With 12 groups, there are 495 combinations for the knockout stage. Teams like Brazil lead Group C with four points and will face Scotland, who have three points. The outcome of matches today could determine playoff spots for several nations, including Czechia and South Africa. The full bracket will only be revealed after all group-stage matches conclude.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•2026 World Cup employs a 48-team format with 12 groups.
•Top two teams and eight best third-placed teams advance.
•Brazil leads Group C; faces Scotland today.
•Teams like Czechia and South Africa compete for playoff spots.
•The knockout stage format creates complex qualification scenarios.

Latest Updates

10:01 AMYahoo Sports — How the complex maths works for third-placed teams to go through

What they're saying

"
The expanded 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup has brought back a rule that stirs nostalgia among fans who followed the tournaments between 1986 and 1994: qualification for the best third-placed t...
— Yahoo Sports

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