How the 2026 World Cup group stage works
The 2026 group stage runs June 11–27. Each of the 12 groups plays a six-match round-robin (every team faces the other three). Points: 3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a defeat. Tiebreakers: goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head result, then drawing of lots.
The top two from each group advance automatically (24 teams). Additionally, the eight best third-place finishers across all 12 groups also advance, giving 32 teams in the Round of 32 — the tournament's first knockout round. This third-place rule creates tactical complexity in the final group matchday: teams might prioritize qualifying as a third-place team over an outright second-place finish in a tougher group.
Canada in Group B
Canada draws one of the most challenging groups: Brazil, Colombia and Morocco. Brazil are the slight favourites to win the tournament outright. Colombia, CONMEBOL runners-up in 2024 Copa América, pose a threat in every match. Morocco reached the semi-finals in 2022 and remain well-organized defensively. Canada's best realistic path: take a point from Brazil (possible at home), beat Morocco in Toronto, and earn at least a draw against Colombia. A tally of 4 or 5 points likely qualifies them as a strong third-place team. Return to the World Cup 2026 group draw and results hub or read the Canada full guide →