Best third-placed teams
New formatLive · provisional
Twelve groups each send a third-placed team into the race for eight Round-of-32 spots. They're ranked by points, then goal difference, then goals scored. The top eight go through; the bottom four are eliminated.
This updates live as games are played — in-play goals move teams up and down the table in real time, so a single goal can flip a team above or below the cut-off.
Top 8 — advance to Round of 32Bottom 4 — eliminated
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Predict the remaining results and see which thirds sneak through
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Your qualifying thirds seed the Round of 32 automatically
Best third-placed teams — frequently asked
How do the best third-placed teams work at the World Cup 2026?
At the 48-team 2026 World Cup, the 12 groups each send their third-placed team into a single combined mini-table. The eight best third-placed teams qualify for the Round of 32, alongside the 12 group winners and 12 runners-up. The bottom four third-placed teams are eliminated.
How are the World Cup 2026 third-placed teams ranked?
The 12 third-placed teams are ranked by points first, then goal difference, then goals scored — the same criteria FIFA uses. The top eight in that order advance to the Round of 32.
Which third-placed teams qualify for the Round of 32?
As it stands, the third-placed teams in the eight qualifying places are Sweden, Ecuador, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Korea Republic, Paraguay, Algeria and Scotland. This updates live as the group games are played.
Who is the best third-placed team at the World Cup 2026 right now?
Sweden are the best-placed third team so far, top of the 12-team mini-table with 4 points. The order updates live as results come in.