© Reuters
This World Cup is characterized by unprecedented intrigue in the group stage.
After just two rounds, only two teams have lost their chances to advance to the next stage. These teams are the tournament hosts Qatar and the Canadian national team returning to the tournament after 36 years.
There are also three teams that have already secured their spot in the knockout stage. These are Brazil, Portugal, and France. However, even these teams are not yet sure whether they will finish the group stage in first place.
For comparison, in the 2018 World Cup, after two rounds, 7 national teams already had no chance to fight for a spot in the knockout stage.
Meanwhile, in the 2018 World Cup after two rounds, 6 national teams had already secured their spot in the knockout stage.
The group stage will begin today at 5pm Lithuanian time.
