The most anticipated sporting event of the year is here. The FIFA World Cup is back after four (and a half years) of wait, and Qatar 2022 is unsurprisingly one of the biggest talking points on Earth right now.

The tournament will take place from November 20, when the host country and Ecuador clash in the inaugural game, to December 18, concluding with the final. The stage is set, but many questions will probably arise.

After all, we’re talking about a tournament that takes place every four years. Therefore, not everyone may be up to date with the format. For starters, all 32 teams that take part in the World Cup are split into eight groups of four. Of course, the Qatar 2022 groups were alreadydrawn.

What happens to teams that finish 3rd in the Qatar 2022 World Cup group stage?

In case you were wondering, the first two teams in each group advance to the knockout stage, which starts with the round of 16. What happens with the other 16 teams? They get nothing.

The third and fourth-placed teams in each group are eliminated from Qatar 2022. Unlike the UEFA Champions League, which rewards the third-seeded teams with anEuropa League berth, there’s no consolation prize for the last two teams in eachgroup of the World Cup.