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For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, every single participating nation has qualified for the knockout stages of the 2026 tournament. That sentence sounds like it shouldn’t be possible, but the expanded format made it almost inevitable.
The 2026 World Cup, hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, features 48 teams, up from the traditional 32. Teams are divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advancing to a round of 32. Do the math: that’s 32 out of 48 teams moving on. Two-thirds of the field survives the group stage. And this time around, all of them did.
How the format made this possible
The tournament kicked off on June 11, 2026, with the knockout phase set to begin on June 28. Mexico became the first team to punch its ticket to the round of 32, clinching a spot around June 19. The United States followed shortly after, which is convenient when you’re one of the host nations.
The tournament runs through July 19 across 16 host cities spread across three countries.
The eight best third-placed teams qualifying is the key mechanism that made universal advancement possible. In a group of four, finishing third isn’t great, but it’s not catastrophic either. You only need to be better than one team and not the worst of the remaining third-place finishers across all 12 groups.
Kraken scores the crypto angle
Kraken, the cryptocurrency exchange, was named the Official Crypto Exchange Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 9, just two days before the tournament began.
The partnership focuses on fan engagement and expanding the cryptocurrency user base during the tournament across North America and Europe.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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