FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 qualification criteria: What the third-placed teams need to keep in mind? Complete rules

The qualification of best third-placed teams in the knockouts of a FIFA World Cup returned after 32 years in the 2026 edition. The last time third-placed teams qualified for the knockouts stages was back in 1994 where 16 teams made it to the knockouts from a field of 24. The practice was discontinued from the next edition as the World Cup expanded to 32 teams.

With the FIFA expanding the World Cup to 48 teams, the qualification of third-placed teams once again came back into equation. While 24 teams will directly qualify for the round of 32 by finishing in the top two in the group stages, the eight best third-placed teams will follow them.

The third-placed teams will have to wait until June 28 - the last day of the group stage matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026, making it more nervous for the teams and the fans around the world.

Points scored in the group stages are the first criteria for the eight third-placed teams. But there are going to be several teams tied on points.

Determination of 8 best third-placed teams

1. Greatest number of points obtained in all group matches.
2. If the teams are tied on points, then the goal difference will be taken into account.
3. In case of a tie in goal difference, the number of goals scored in the group stages will be taken into consideration.
4. The third tie-breaker is the fairplay score. The fairplay score will be determined by the number of red or yellow cards a team have received in the group stages. A red card will certainly impact a team's fairplay score more than a yellow card.
5. If the fairplay score ends in a tie, the recent FIFA Rankings will be final criteria for qualification in the round of 32.

Determination of team conduct score

• Yellow card: minus 1 point
• Indirect red card (as a result of two yellow cards): minus 3 points
• Direct red card: minus 4 points
• Yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points

Did any third-placed team lift the trophy?

Notably, no third-placed team in the group stage has ever won the World Cup. Argentina and Italy came closest to winning the World Cup after coming third in their respective groups in 1990 and 1994 respectively. Argentina qualified for the knockouts in both 1990 and 1994 World Cups as the best third-placed team.

Both Argentina and Italy lost in the finals of 1990 and 1994 editions of the World Cup. But in European Championships and African Cup of Nations (AFCON), teams went to lift the trophy after finishing third in group stages.

In Euro 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal finished third in the group stages after three draws to only advance on goal difference. They defeated France 1-0 in the final. In 2023 AFCON, hosts Ivory Coast were on the brink of elimination before qualifying for the knockouts as the fourth third-placed team and eventually went on to lift the trophy.

Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.