The expanded 2026 men’s World Cup in North America will begin with 12 groups of four teams, a shift from the originally planned format of 16 groups of three, FIFA announced on Tuesday. This will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, up from the 32 that competed in Qatar. The new structure will produce 104 matches, a substantial increase from the 64 games played at the previous tournament.
FIFA explained that the revised format mitigates the risk of collusion, ensures every team plays a minimum of three matches, and provides balanced rest periods between competing sides. Under the original plan, the top two teams from each of the 16 three‑team groups would have advanced to a round of 32. The updated format now allows the top two teams from each of the 12 four‑team groups to progress, along with the eight best third‑placed teams.
As a result, the finalists—and the teams finishing third and fourth—will play a total of eight games instead of the current seven. The decision follows a dramatic group stage at the Qatar tournament, which convinced FIFA that a rethink was necessary. “The groups of four have been absolutely incredible until the last minute of the last match,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in December.
Tuesday’s announcement came after a FIFA Council meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, where it also confirmed that the next men’s World Cup final will be played on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Infantino is expected to be re‑elected for a new four‑year term at Thursday’s FIFA Congress, where he stands unopposed.
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