Here are the FIFA rankings for every third-place team in 2026 World Cup tiebreaker
Under the new World Cup format, a team's FIFA World Ranking could come into play. Here's what you need to know.
Here are the FIFA rankings for every third-place team in 2026 World Cup tiebreaker originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.With the World Cup field expanded to 48 teams and 32 in the knockout stage, it might be time to get weird with tiebreakers.
For the first time, a team's place in the FIFA World Rankings could come into play and determine who advances to the knockout stage.The world rankings are the seventh and final tiebreaker within groups, but three of the six tiebreakers ahead of them are head-to-head tiebreakers. Because third-place teams are in different groups and don't have head-to-head matchups with their counterparts, there is a chance the world rankings come into play as a tiebreaking method.
Here's a look at the FIFA World Ranking for every third-place team at the World Cup.2026 WORLD CUP HQ:Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup ticketsWorld Cup 2026 FIFA rankings for every third-place teamThird-place teams to qualify for knockoutsEcuador (24th) Ecuador is through to the knockout stage with four points and sits as one of the highest-ranked third-place teams among the third-place finishers at 24th. After a loss to Ivory Coast and a disappointing draw with Curacao, Ecuador salvaged its World Cup hopes with a win over Germany in Group E and will await its Round of 32 matchup.
Sweden (36th)Sweden is ranked 36th in the world, putting the squad near the middle of the pack among third-place finishers, but this team is safely through to the knockout stage with four points. Sweden couldn't win again after its rout of Tunisia in their World Cup opener, but a draw with Japan was all that was needed to advance.Bosnia and Herzegovina (61st)Bosnia and Herzegovina is the lowest-ranked third-place team at the moment at 61st, but a draw with Canada and win over Qatar got the job done with four points in Group B.
Bosnia already knows it will face the United States in the Round of 32.P
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