Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

2026 World Cup Expands, Third-Place Race Heats Up

6/24/2026

37 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

World Cup Expands

The 2026 World Cup expands to 48 teams and adds a Round of 32 for the eight best third-placed teams.
Third-placed teams rank by points, goal difference, goals scored, fair-play record and FIFA ranking.
After June 23 matches Sweden, Scotland, Croatia, Algeria and Paraguay each have 3 points.
Sweden has scored six and conceded six, while Cape Verde and Belgium each have two points.

Summary

Messi Leads

Lionel Messi became the World Cup all-time leading scorer with 18 goals after his brace versus Austria.
Norway qualified for the knockout stage while Haiti, in its first World Cup since 1974, was eliminated after losses to Brazil and Scotland.
The final is set for July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The tournament will host 104 matches, 40 more than the 2022 edition in Qatar.

Summary

Qatar Secures Third

Curaçao earned its first World Cup point with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador, aided by Eloy Room’s saves.
Cape Verde scored its first World Cup goals via Kevin Pina and Hélio Varela in a 2-2 tie with Uruguay.
Turkey fired 62 shots in two matches but stayed scoreless, ending winless.
Qatar clinched third place by beating Bosnia and Herzegovina, a result that left Switzerland’s nine-goal loss to Canada deemed impossible.

History

Historical Context

In 1998 FIFA expanded the finals from 24 to 32 teams, staging the tournament in France where 704 players competed at the 80,000-seat Stade de France and Brazil faced the hosts in the final. That format standardized a round of 16 and proved popular, prompting the 2026 World Cup to grow to 48 teams and add a round of 32, aiming to widen global participation.

1 of 4

World Cup Expands

The 2026 World Cup expands to 48 teams and adds a Round of 32 for the eight best third-placed teams.
Third-placed teams rank by points, goal difference, goals scored, fair-play record and FIFA ranking.
After June 23 matches Sweden, Scotland, Croatia, Algeria and Paraguay each have 3 points.
Sweden has scored six and conceded six, while Cape Verde and Belgium each have two points.

1 / 4