The 4-2-3-1 has been used by 10 teams, and the report credits United States, England, France and Austria with opening victories in that shape.
Its strength is structural clarity. Two holding midfielders can protect the centre-backs, cover advancing full-backs and release the attacking midfield three. Behind the striker, the wide players and No. 10 offer passing options that prevent the forward from becoming isolated.
That balance matters in tournament football, where one transition can decide a group match. The formation can defend in two banks of four, then quickly create a front four when possession changes.
The 4-1-2-3 has also produced four wins, with Mexico, Norway, Ghana and Colombia listed among the teams using it successfully.
The trade-off is clear: one defensive midfielder must cover significant ground. In return, two wingers stretch the pitch and the central striker receives more room to attack between defenders. Spain and the Netherlands have also used the system, reinforcing its appeal among sides expected to control possession and commit numbers forward.
The report lists the 4-4-2 as the most common system, used by 12 of 48 teams, but credits it with only two wins against four defeats. That does not make the formation obsolete, but it shows the risk of surrendering central overloads against teams with an extra midfielder.
Five-man systems have also produced mixed results. No team is credited with a win using 5-3-2, while Australia reportedly won with 5-4-1.
As the group stage continues, the key question is whether opponents adjust to the early success of formations that combine width, central support and midfield security.