For the first time ever, the World Cup features 48 teams. That means more matches and more opportunities for teams to advance beyond the group stage.
In the past, only the top two teams in each group could advance. This year, instead of only 16 teams making it to the knockout rounds, there will be 32. The top two teams in each of the 12 groups will move on along with the top eight third-place teams.
While every team out there would love to avoid any tiebreaker drama in the third-place table, it'll be unavoidable for many. And advancing as a third-place team is a whole lot better than not advancing at all.
While the first round of games isn't the ultimate determiner of who will advance and who won't, the opening games still set the stage for the third-place race. Plenty of teams are under serious pressure already, shocking as that may be for some of them.
Third-place standings
*As of Jun. 17, top eight advance to knockouts
Team | Points | W-D-L | GD-GF-GA | Team conduct | FIFA ranking | Tiebreaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Netherlands | 1 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-2 | -3 | 8 | Goals scored |
2. Brazil | 1 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-1 | -2 | 6 | FIFA ranking |
3. Belgium | 1 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-1 | -2 | 9 | FIFA ranking |
4. Qatar | 1 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-1 | -2 | 56 | Team conduct |
5. Portugal | 1 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-1 | -3 | 5 | Goals scored |
6. Spain | 1 | 0-1-0 | 0-0-0 | -1 | 2 | Points |
7. Czechia | 0 | 0-0-1 | -1-1-2 | 0 | 40 | Goals scored |
8. Ecuador | 0 | 0-0-1 | -1-0-1 | -1 | 23 | Team conduct |
9. Panama | 0 | 0-0-1 | -1-0-1 | -2 | 34 | Goal difference |
10. Senegal | 0 | 0-0-1 | -2-1-3 | 0 | 15 | FIFA ranking |
11. Jordan | 0 | 0-0-1 | -2-1-3 | 0 | 63 | Goals scored |
12. Türkiye | 0 | 0-0-1 | -2-0-2 | -1 | 22 |
If the group stage ended after the first round of games, the Netherlands, Brazil, Belgium, Qatar, Portugal, Spain, Czechia and Ecuador would advance to the knockout rounds. Of course, the group stage is far from over, so every team currently in the third-place table could just as easily win their group as fall out of contention for the knockouts. There's still a whole lot of soccer to play.
It would be shocking if teams like the Netherlands, Brazil, Belgium, Portugal and Spain couldn't pick up the necessary points to advance. However, they're all in danger after dropping points in their opening matches.
Meanwhile, Czechia, Ecuador, Panama, Senegal, Jordan and Türkiye just happen to be third-place teams right now. As opening round losers, they'll need to find a way to scrape a win in one of their next two games to hold any hope of advancing.
Based on past tournaments, teams that hope to advance need three points. We'll have to see if that comes to pass.
Third-place tiebreakers
- Points
- Goal difference
- Goals scored
- Team conduct score
- FIFA world ranking
The first few tiebreakers for teams in the third-place table are fairly simple: points, then goal difference and then goals scored. After that it gets more complicated as team conduct score comes into play.
Team conduct score is calculated by cards accumulated. Every yellow card is minus one point. Every second yellow card resulting in a red is minus three points. A direct red card is minus four points. And if a player with a yellow card already is shown a direct red card that's minus five points.
If the tie isn't broken by team conduct score, it all comes down to the FIFA world rankings.
Group A standings
Group B standings
Group C standings
Group D standings
Group E standings
Group F standings
Group G standings
Group H standings
Group I standings
Group J standings
Group K standings
Group L standings
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