The World Cup has reached that stage when mental gymnastics come into play to determine who’s in, who’s out and what’s needed to advance to the next round

The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage format, criteria and rules for qualification. Find out who's in and who's out.

Discover how many points are needed to advance to the knockout stage in the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup.

FIFA's decision to use head-to-head records to separate teams in World Cup groups could have unforeseen consequences

The FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage is heating up, with Germany, USA, and Mexico already securing knockout berths. Many other nations are on the cusp of qualification, while some…

The World Cup has reached that stage when mental gymnastics come into play to determine who’s in, who’s out and what’s needed to advance to the next round

The World Cup has reached that stage when mental gymnastics come into play to determine who’s in, who’s out and what’s needed to advance to the next round.

The World Cup knockout round bracket is slowly coming together as teams punch tickets to the Round of 32.

Eight of the 12 teams which finish third in the group stage will still qualify for the knockouts.

The final round of group stage games will lack the drama of 2022, with a strange decision to revamp the tie-breaking rules likely to produce a number of dead rubbers

In past years, finishing third meant elimination. But the expanded World Cup means many more sides have a chance to make the knockout stages. Here is how they decide who…