This is because the eight best third-placed teams progress alongside the winners and runners-up from the 12 groups. Effectively, two wins from the first two group games will be enough.
The teams who can qualify for the last 32 after two of three group games are Mexico and South Korea in Group A, Scotland (Group C), the USA and Australia in Group D, Sweden (Group F), France and Norway in Group I, Argentina and Austria in Group J, Columbia in Group K, as well as England and Ghana in Group L.
After their stunning 2-0 win over Turkey, the Socceroos next clash with co-hosts the USA at Seattle Stadium on Friday (5am Saturday AEST).
Nations with no points after two matchdays could also be eliminated ahead of time, but the maths is more complicated and relies on other group outcomes, given the new third-placed qualifiers.
On the final matchdays, if group rivals finish level on points, the following criteria will be used as tiebreakers in order:
Greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned
Superior goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned
Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned
Superior goal difference in all group matches
Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches
Team conduct score (players and team officials) relating to the number of yellow and red cards obtained
FIFA world ranking
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