Daniel Munoz’s deflected strike was enough for Colombia to beat DR Congo 1-0 and secure their place in the 2026 World Cup knockout stage. The victory makes Colombia the seventh team – after Argentina, France, Germany, Mexico, Norway and the USA – to guarantee a spot in the last 32. For DR Congo, the defeat leaves them on one point, ninth in the table of third-placed teams, with only the eight best finishers progressing.
The expanded 48-team tournament has introduced a new twist: the top two from each of the 12 groups advance, joined by the eight third-placed sides with the best records. That means finishing third is no longer a dead end. Teams level on points in the overall third-place ranking are separated first by goal difference, then goals scored, fair-play record and, finally, Fifa ranking. Within groups, Fifa has updated the tiebreaker rules so that head-to-head results now take priority over goal difference – making direct clashes far more pivotal.
“Colombia beat DR Congo to reach last 32; eight best third-placed teams also advance to knockout stage.”
After two rounds of group matches, Sweden and Scotland lead the third-place standings with three points and a goal difference of zero, followed by Croatia, Algeria and Paraguay, also on three points but with inferior goal differences. Cape Verde and Belgium have two points, while Czechia and DR Congo sit on one. Ecuador, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Senegal have yet to open their accounts.
With five points almost certain to be enough for a top-eight finish, several teams remain in contention. Canada can guarantee a place by taking at least a point against Switzerland. Switzerland themselves need only a draw. Brazil, meanwhile, require a draw or win against Scotland to secure their knockout berth. For Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar, only a heavy victory when they meet can keep their hopes alive.
As the group stage hurtles towards its conclusion, the scramble for the eight third-place spots promises to be as intense as the battles for top-two finishes. The rule change prioritising head-to-head results has already reshaped group dynamics, and the final round of fixtures will determine which eight sides grab the final lifeline.