FIFA World Cup 2026 format

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest football tournament in the world and is held every four years. In 2026, the tournament will be held in North America, with the United States, Canada, and Mexico co-hosting the event. The tournament format has been revised for this edition of the World Cup, and in this blog, we will explore the FIFA 2026 World Cup format.

The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams, an increase from the previous 32-team format. The increase in the number of teams will mean an increase in the number of matches played during the tournament, with a total of 80 matches to be played over the course of the tournament.

The tournament will be divided into two stages. The first stage will be the group stage, which will feature 16 groups of three teams each. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage, along with the four best third-placed teams.

The knockout stage will feature a traditional single-elimination format, with the Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. The Round of 32 will be a new addition to the tournament, and it will feature the top two teams from each group and the four best third-placed teams.

The format of the 2026 World Cup has been designed to give more teams the opportunity to compete in the tournament while maintaining the high level of competition and excitement that the World Cup is known for. The increase in the number of teams means that more countries will have the chance to showcase their footballing talent on the world stage, and it will provide a platform for smaller footballing nations to gain experience and exposure.

The 2026 World Cup will also see the introduction of new technology, including video assistant referees (VAR) and goal-line technology, which will ensure that the tournament is fair and just. The tournament will also be played across three countries, which will add to the excitement and spectacle of the tournament.