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how are the third placed teams selected for 1/32 round?

The third-placed teams are selected by putting all 12 third-place finishers into one ranking table, then taking the best 8 of them into the Round of 32. The ranking order is points first, then goal difference, then goals scored, then fair play, and if needed FIFA ranking.

How it works

  1. Each group sends its top two teams straight through.
  1. All third-place teams are compared across the full tournament in a single table.
  1. The eight highest-ranked third-place teams advance.

Tiebreakers

If teams are level on points, FIFA uses these in order:

  • Goal difference.
  • Goals scored.
  • Fair play score.
  • FIFA ranking if they are still tied.

Knockout pairings

The qualifying third-place teams are then placed into the Round of 32 according to a pre-set bracket system, so their opponents depend on which groups produced the qualifiers.

Example

A team finishing third with 4 points is usually in a strong position, but it is not automatic until all third-place teams are ranked together.

TL;DR: third-place teams are selected by ranking all 12 third-place finishers against each other, and the top 8 advance to the Round of 32.