Several World Cup teams will go through to the inaugural last 32 knock-out round after just two matchdays this week.
This is because the eight best third-placed teams progress alongside the winners and runners-up from the 12 groups. Effectively, two wins from the first two group games will be enough.
The teams who can qualify for the last 32 after two of three group games are - Mexico, South Korea (Group A), Scotland (Group C), US, Australia (Group D), Sweden (Group F), France, Norway (Group I), Argentina, Austria (Group J), Columbia (Group K) as well as England and Ghana (Group L).
Nations with no points after two matchdays could also be eliminated ahead of time, but the maths is more complicated and relies on other group outcomes given the new third-placed qualifiers.
On the final matchdays, if group rivals finish level on points, the following criteria will be used as tiebreakers in order:
- Greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned
- Superior goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned
- Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned
- Superior goal difference in all group matches
- Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches
- Team conduct score (players and team officials) relating to the number of yellow and red cards obtained
- FIFA world ranking
The eight best third-placed teams are determined as follows:
- Greatest number of points obtained in all group matches
- Goal difference resulting from all group matches
- Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches
- Team conduct score (players and team officials) relating to the number of yellow and red cards obtained in all group matches
- FIFA world ranking
