The 48-team 2026 World Cup format is working exactly as intended: the expanded bracket does not dilute quality — it concentrates it. The Round of 32 wraps up today, and it is already clear that the standout fixture of the next round, Spain against Portugal, is a direct result of the tournament's architecture of 12 groups and 32 play-off participants.
How the 48-team format works at the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup is the first tournament in history where teams pass through a Round of 32 after the group stage. The 48 nations were split into 12 groups of four. The two best teams from each group advanced to the play-off stage, joined by the eight best third-placed sides — 32 teams in total. This mechanism allowed nations such as Ghana and Sweden to stay in contention despite finishing third in their groups. For a deeper look at the tournament mechanics, see our article "2026 World Cup format: 48 teams — how it works in practice".
12 groups of 4: who advances to the play-offs
Spain won Group H, while Portugal finished second in Group K after a 0–0 draw with Colombia. That determined their paths: Spain faced Austria in the Round of 32, Portugal faced Croatia. Both progressed. Spain demolished Austria 3–0 — Mikel Oyarzabal scored a brace (36th and 89th minutes) and Pedro Porro added the third. Portugal beat Croatia 2–1 in a dramatic match: Ivan Perišić opened the scoring on 53 minutes, but Ronaldo converted a penalty (68th) and Gonçalo Ramos struck in stoppage time (90+4) to turn the result around. Croatia did find the net in the 90+13th minute, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside.
The Round of 16 match between Spain and Portugal is scheduled for 6 July at 22:00 Kyiv time in Dallas. For more on the play-off bracket, see our article "2026 World Cup: 48-team format — how the play-offs work after the group stage".
The best-8 third-place rule
Without the best-eight third-place rule, tonight would lack much of its intrigue. Ghana reached the play-offs from third place in Group L and will face Colombia in Kansas City at 04:30 Kyiv time (the early hours of 4 July). The winner earns a Round of 16 spot against Switzerland. Earlier today, Australia met Egypt in Dallas (21:00 Kyiv time) and Argentina faced Cape Verde in Miami (01:00 Kyiv time). The winner of that tie will play the winner of the Australia/Egypt match in Atlanta on 7 July.
Scenarios
- Argentina get past Cape Verde — the most likely outcome: Messi leads the top-scorers chart with 6 goals, and while the "Blue Sharks" conceded just twice in the group stage, the gap in class is significant. If Argentina win, they will face the winner of Australia vs Egypt in the Round of 16.
- Colombia vs Ghana: the third-place factor — Colombia went through the group stage unbeaten, winning Group K. Ghana qualified as one of the eight best third-placed sides, and a win over Colombia would send them into the Round of 16 against Switzerland. Matches like this are the key intrigue of the expanded format: third place is not the end — it is a new starting point.
- Spain vs Portugal: the Iberian derby in the Round of 16 — both sides have already proven their form in the Round of 32. Spain have shown controlled, clinical football, while Portugal demonstrated character against Croatia. Yamal was named man of the match against Austria; Ronaldo has rejoined the chasing pack in the top-scorers race. This is the most anticipated fixture of the Round of 16.
This evening and overnight, the Round of 32 concludes: three matches will determine the final participants in the Round of 16. The Colombia vs Ghana duel deserves special attention as an illustration of how the best-eight third-place rule generates genuine tournament drama. The Round of 16 begins tomorrow: Canada vs Morocco and Paraguay vs France are the first ties of the new round. For a look at how three decisive evenings shape the road to the final, read our article "2026 World Cup format: 48 teams and three decisive evenings".
