It’s nearly time! Know EVERYTHING about the FIFA World Cup

Format

This year’s World Cup will be the first with 48 participating national teams. They have been divided into 12 groups of four countries each.

The top two teams in each group advance to the knockout stage, along with the eight best third-placed teams.

That means 32 teams will qualify, giving the tournament an extra round.

Instead of the round of 16, the first knockout stage will be the round of 32.

Advertisement

From there on, it will be as we already know well: single-elimination matches all the way to the final that will decide the champion.

Throughout the entire knockout stage, if a match is level after 90 minutes, the qualified team will be decided in extra time. If the score remains tied, it will go to a penalty shootout.

Tiebreakers

Until 2022, goal difference was the first tiebreaker if two teams finished level on points in the group stage.

For 2026, FIFA introduced changes, giving greater importance to head-to-head results between teams on the same number of points.

If two or more teams in the same group are tied on points after the end of the group stage, the following criteria, in the order below, will be applied to determine the standings:

Advertisement

Step one

– Highest number of points obtained in group matches between the teams concerned;

– Superior goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;

– Highest number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned.

If no decision can be reached through this procedure, the criteria below will be applied as follows to the two or more teams that remain tied on points:

Step two

– Superior goal difference in all group matches;

– Highest number of goals scored in all group matches;

– Highest team conduct score (players and coaching staff) based on the number of yellow and red cards received.

Advertisement

If no decision can be reached through the procedures in steps one and two above, the standings will be determined by the most recent edition of the FIFA Ranking published.

New rules

The World Cup will also mark the debut of new football rules in major tournaments. Check out the main changes below:

– A player seen covering his mouth during an argument may receive a red card

– If a player leaves the field in protest at a refereeing decision, he may receive a red card

– If a goalkeeper takes too long to restart play with a goal kick, the referee will begin a five-second countdown. If the ball is not back in play within that time, the opposing team will be awarded a corner kick

Advertisement

– If a player takes too long to take a throw-in, the referee will begin a five-second countdown. If the ball is not back in play within that time, the throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team

– Players may not take more than ten seconds to leave the field when substituted. If they fail to comply, they will still have to leave the field, but the substitute will have to wait one minute (or until the next stoppage in play) before entering, leaving the team one player short during that period

– If a player needs medical treatment on the field, he will have to leave the field and wait one minute (or until the next stoppage in play) before returning to the match

– VAR will be able to intervene in new situations:

Advertisement

• Correct an incorrectly shown second yellow card

• Correct a corner kick awarded incorrectly, as long as the review can be carried out quickly

• Infractions by the attacking team in set-piece situations committed before the ball is put into play

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.