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What is that?
The International Football Federation (FIFA) has radically changed the qualification system for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held for the first time in history with the participation of 48 teams, adding a new level of excitement to the group stage.
In addition to qualifying for the group leaders and runners-up, the competition now extends to the top 8 third-placed teams in a tight race decided by goals, cards and last moments.
Spanish newspaper Marca wrote that the new system has imposed a different reality on qualification calculations, as third place no longer means the end of the road, but rather could be the gateway to the round of 32.
According to FIFA regulations, the first and second teams in each of the twelve groups qualify automatically, bringing the number of qualified teams to 24, with the remaining eight spots awarded to the best third-placed teams in the group stage.
This ranking is determined according to precise criteria, starting with the number of points scored, then goal difference, followed by the number of goals scored, then the fair play classification, which depends on the number of yellow and red cards, and finally the FIFA classification before the start of the tournament, if the draw continues.
The fair play criterion is one of the most sensitive aspects of this system, as a warning in the last minutes can change the fate of an entire team.
Each card is removed from the team’s general table, which makes behavioral discipline no less important a factor than technical performance on the field.
If all previous criteria are equal, FIFA will refer to the last international team ranking before the tournament as the final option to determine the positions.
This complex system makes every matchup in the group stage a highlight, where a late goal in Dallas or a card in Atlanta can redraw the entire playoff map.
