FIFA changes format for 2026 World Cup

The World Cup group stage format for 2026 was changed to 12 groups of four teams from 16 groups of three teams by FIFA’s Council, increasing the total to 104 matches from 64 in the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

To win a World Cup, a nation will have to play 8 games, up from the 7 in place since 1974. The top two teams in each group and the top eight third-place teams will advance to a new round of 32 that starts the knockout phase. Advancement for third-place teams was eliminated for 1998, when the tournament expanded from 24 teams to 32.

The change means there will be 104 matches, double the 52 at the 1994 World Cup in the U.S., up from the 64 at each tournament from 1998 through 2022 and an increase from the 80 under the original 2026 format. That means more content for television broadcasters and more tickets to sell, increasing revenue for FIFA.

The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by North America, with games to be played in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The World Cup final match will be played on July 19.