The expanded World Cup format means lots of moving parts and changing permutations during the final round of group games.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup's expanded format opens the door for best third-placed teams to qualify, upcoming group finales spark concerns that nations could settle for mutually beneficial draws.

The 2026 World Cup has arrived. Mexico and South Africa will kick off the tournament on Thursday afternoon following Mexico's opening ceremony.

Here's everything to know about how the seeding and bracket work for the World Cup's new, expanded 32-team knockout stage.

FIFA altered its rules after that tournament to prevent any advantage the final teams may have over their other rivals. Starting in 1986, the final matches in the same group happened simultaneously. The top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the knockout stage.

Every four years, the planet stops to watch one tournament. Offices empty out, entire countries paint themselves in their national colors, and a single match can bring billions of people to the same screen at the same moment.

Scotland's World Cup dream in hanging by a thread after their loss to Brazil - but a former Scottish international doesn't believe they've earned the right to progress despite there still being hope

Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has hit out at the FIFA World Cup scheduling format, claiming that teams topping their respective groups are being handed an unfair disadvantage ahead of the high-octane knockout rounds.

Pakistan, June 25 -- Algeria have waited 44 years for a shot at World Cup revenge against Austria, but the clash is one of many in the final round of group games where sides could settle for a mutually beneficial outcome.