As the 2026 FIFA World Cup's expanded format opens the door for best third-placed teams to qualify, upcoming group finales spark concerns that nations could settle for mutually beneficial draws.

The 2026 World Cup has arrived. Mexico and South Africa will kick off the tournament on Thursday afternoon following Mexico's opening ceremony.

The 48-team expansion and return of third-placed qualifiers have renewed concerns over the World Cup's sporting integrity, evoking memories of the 1982 'disgrace of Gijon'.

FIFA's expanded 48-team World Cup features 104 matches and a new knockout round, stretching the tournament to 39 days across three countries.

Tiebreakers are more important than ever in the new 48-team format, but this year works a bit different than past World Cups.

FIFA World Cup fans are already worried that two teams could play for a result that benefits both in the final round.

Australia and Paraguay face a World Cup Group D coordination problem where a draw may be the safest path to knockout advancement.

With some third-place sides also progressing to the knockout stage, some teams could settle for a mutually beneficial outcome. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The 2026 World Cup group stage is the biggest ever and here you can keep track on the latest standings and how the tables look in all 12 groups.