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The 2026 World Cup features an expanded 48-team format with new tiebreaker rules. The top two from each of 12 groups advance, plus eight best third-placed teams. Head-to-head results now supersede goal difference, and a disciplinary score may decide ties.
Uzbekistan secured its first-ever World Cup berth on June 5, 2025, ending decades of near-misses. The Central Asian nation, long labeled Asian football's 'nearly men,' will face Colombia, Portugal, and DR Congo in Group K. Domestic football has already seen a 36% rise in professional clubs.
With the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage underway, teams in Groups A-L are vying for spots in the Round of 32. Co-hosts Mexico can secure Group A top spot on June 18 if they beat Korea Republic and Czechia fails to beat South Africa. South Korea also has a path to first place, while South Africa and Czechia face elimination scenarios.
