what 3rd place teams will advance

Eight third-place teams advance to the 2026 World Cup Round of 32, and based on the latest standings, the current qualifiers are Sweden, Ecuador, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Paraguay, and Senegal, with Iran, Croatia, and South Korea in the remaining projected spots.

What that means

The third-place table is ranked by points first, then goal difference, goals scored, fair play, and FIFA ranking if needed.

Current bubble

Teams just outside the cut are Algeria and Scotland, while Uruguay and DR Congo are lower and in worse position right now.

Important note

These are live group-stage standings, so the final eight third-place teams can still change as the last matches are played.