With the final group matches beginning on 24 June, fans are mapping out the route to the 19 July final. Since 32 of the 48 participating nations move into the knockout phase, tracking the various scenarios remains complex. Currently, Group L leaders England and third-placed Scotland are projected to collide in the round of 16 in Mexico City on 6 July at 01:00 BST.
These pairings remain subject to change based on upcoming matches against Panama and Brazil, as well as broader tournament results. To assist fans, BBC Sport has launched a live-updating predictor tool to help manage schedules across the four time zones involved in this tournament.
Out of the record 48 teams, 16 will be eliminated after the group stage. The top two finishers from each of the 12 groups automatically progress, joined by the eight highest-ranked third-place teams. Tie-breaking procedures include head-to-head records, goal difference, total goals, Fifa’s Team Conduct Score, and finally, the most recent Fifa ranking.
