495 chances for top thirds. Why do group leaders wait until the end to identify their opponents?

During previous World Cups, fans were used to knowing the identity of most of the knockout games as soon as each group was completed, but the 2026 World Cup presents a completely different equation. With the increase in the number of teams to 48 teams and the adoption of the qualification system of the best 8 teams ranked third, it is no longer possible to predetermine the matches of the round of 32.

Therefore, a team can secure first place in its group, but still not know its opponent until the end of the last game of the group stage, because the fate of some matches is tied to the so-called “best-of-three odds table”, which includes 495 different possibilities, which is one of the most complicated aspects of the new tournament system.