🏆 World Cup Format: 48 teams divided into 12 groups of 4, playing a single round-robin. Win = 3 pts, Draw = 1 pt, Loss = 0 pts. Top 2 of each group and the 8 best third-placed teams advance to the Round of 32 knockout stage. Knockout matches are single-elimination; if tied after regular time, extra time is played, followed by a penalty shootout if still level.

⚖️ Tie-breaking Rules: When points are equal, the ranking is determined by: 1) goal difference, 2) total goals scored, 3) head-to-head points, 4) head-to-head goal difference, 5) head-to-head goals scored, 6) fair play points, 7) drawing of lots.

📏 Offside Rule: A player is offside if, at the moment the ball is played, they are nearer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent, and become actively involved in play.

🖥️ VAR (Video Assistant Referee): Used to review goals, penalties, direct red cards, and mistaken identity. The main referee can consult the pitchside monitor and change the original decision.

⏱️ Added Time (Injury Time): At the end of each half, the referee adds extra minutes to compensate for stoppages due to injuries, substitutions, etc.

🔄 Substitution Rules: Each team may make up to 5 substitutions during the match, across a maximum of 3 stoppage windows. One additional substitution is allowed if the match goes to extra time.