World Cup 2026: The expanded field of 48 teams at this year’s World Cup means that not only do the top two teams advance from each of the 12 first-round groups but also the best eight third-placed finishers.
As the weekend’s action across Canada, Mexico and the United States begins to give the group standings some shape, so the calculators will come out to start determining what the minimum requirement will be to advance to the last 32.
