FIFA approves new, expanded format for 2026 World Cup

Azteca Stadium, one of the host venues for the 2026 World Cup, in Mexico City. Photo: Hector Vivas/Getty Images

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will look quite different compared to last year's tournament — and not only because it will be played in the summer again.

Driving the news: FIFA, the governing body of soccer, on Tuesday approved a new, expanded format for the men's World Cup, which will include 48 teams playing a total of 104 games.

• The tournament will have 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout stage, along with the eight best third-place teams, FIFA said.
• The World Cup final match will be played on July 19, FIFA said.

By the numbers: The new format adds 16 teams and 40 games to the previous World Cup schedule.

• Teams will have to play eight games total instead of seven to reach the final match.

Worth noting: At one point, FIFA considered 16 groups of three teams, with the top two teams going through to the next round, ESPN reports.

• "The revised format mitigates the risk of collusion and ensures that all the teams play a minimum of three matches, while providing balanced rest time between competing teams," FIFA said on Tuesday.

Why it matters: This means more soccer for fans, but new headaches for event organizers, who will have to clear more dates at the venues for games, according to the New York Times.

• Stadium officials are already juggling schedules for summertime sports, concerts and other events.

• Some players’ unions and clubs may be concerned that their players have to play more games, per the NYT. The year-round soccer schedule is already jam-packed, which can lead to injuries.

Zoom out: The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by North America, with games to be played in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

• FIFA has already announced the 2026 World Cup match sites, which include cities such as Atlanta, Boston, Mexico City and Toronto.
• The 2026 format was expected to have 60 matches in the United States, with Mexico and Canada hosting 10 each (80 games total).

Go deeper: FIFA picks World Cup 2026 venues for U.S., Canada, Mexico

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