Bleacher Report · Mar 14, 2023
2026 World Cup Format Approved; Includes 12 Groups for North American Tournament
Get ready for a 48-team World Cup in 2026.
On Tuesday, the FIFA Council formally approved expanding the men's World Cup beginning with the next tournament. The format will see the countries split into 12 groups of four with a total of 104 matches staged between the group stage and knockout rounds.
B/R Football @brfootballFIFA approves World Cup format for 2026:
\u25aa\ufe0f 104 games
\u25aa\ufe0f 48 teams
\u25aa\ufe0f 12 groups of 4, 3 games played
\u25aa\ufe0f 8 maximum games (up from 7)
\u25aa\ufe0f Top 2 teams in each group plus 8 best 3rd-placed sides advance pic.twitter.com/2uHLLOC7Eo
This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.