How does qualification for the World Cup knockout stage work?

The FIFA World Cup knockout stage begins with a round of 16, where 16 teams compete in single-elimination matches. Qualification for this stage is determined by a team's performance in the group stage, which consists of eight groups, each with four teams. Teams earn three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage. Tie-breaking criteria are used if teams finish level on points. These criteria, in order of importance, are goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head record, and fair play points. If teams remain tied after all these criteria, a penalty shootout may be used to determine progression. The winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B, the winner of Group B plays the runner-up of Group A, and so on, creating a fixed bracket for the entire tournament. This structure ensures that teams from the same group cannot meet again until the final, should they both progress.