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Mar 1, 2023 · The FIFA World Cup 2026™ will have a new format, featuring 48 teams (16 more than Qatar 2022™), 104 matches (40 more than the last edition), an additional knockout round and the need to win...
Mar 14, 2023 · FIFA approved a change that set the format for the largest and longest championship in soccer history, and reversed course on discussions to sort the record 48 teams into groups of three.
Mar 15, 2023 · The World Cup has usually lasted around 32 days, though the games were condensed into 29 in Qatar. So how will the 2026 World Cup work, who will qualify and what could it look like?
- 2 min
- Dale Johnson, General Editor, ESPN FC
Jan 30, 2024 · Discover the 48 teams taking part in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Canada, Mexico, USA™, including host cities, game dates and qualifiers. Learn more with FIFA.
- How Will The New Format Work?
- Why Did FIFA Want Change?
- Who Stands to Benefit?
- Who's For and Who's Against?
- What's Still to Be decided?
Delegates voted on four different options to expand the World Cup - including 40 teams in groups of four or five - but emphatically backed Infantino's preference for 48 sides in 16 groups of three, followed by a 32-team knock-out. The winning format will increase the number of games from 64 to 80 but see the tournament completed inside the current ...
Infantino has repeatedly said his main motivation for expansion is to give more nations a chance of experiencing the joy of a World Cup, his mission to bolster international football in developed markets and help growth in new ones. "FIFA's idea is to develop football in the whole world," Infantino said when he suggested the idea in October. "The W...
It's yet to be decided how the 16 extra places at the World Cup in 2026 will be allocated but one proposal under review is for Europe to have an additional three teams. Africa would have an extra four and six South American teams would automatically qualify. Oceania would have a guaranteed finalist, while there would be a play-off between one of th...
The pressure group New FIFA Now, which has campaigned for reform of FIFA, swiftly criticised the news, declaring the changes a "money grab". "It will not help development of the game or provide improved competitive opportunities for lower-ranked nations," it said in a statement. "Instead, it will make a mockery of the qualification process for most...
As part of his overhaul plans, Infantino has further suggested that penalty shoot-outs be brought in to settle the results of all drawn games, thereby minimising the risk of teams colluding in their final games to eliminate others from the tournament. The other major decision regarding 2026 is who will host the event. That is not scheduled for cons...
Mar 14, 2023 · There was also concern that scheduling groups of three could lead to match-fixing in a final game between two teams who could both advance to the round of 32. FIFA has now found an option it said “mitigates the risk of collusion” and also gifts itself more games to sell.
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Mar 15, 2023 · Football’s global governing body Fifa has confirmed that the next men’s World Cup in 2026 will be expanded from 32 teams to 48 and have a new round of a last-32 knockout stage.
