FIFA enlarges 2026 World Cup to 48 teams with 104 matches to be played
FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends during the Sky Bet Championship match between Millwall and Norwich City at The Den on March 4, 2023 in London, United Kingdom.FIFA on Tuesday confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be played with 48 teams divided into 12 groups, and will have 104 matches up from 64.
“… the FIFA Council unanimously approved the proposed amendment to the FIFA World Cup 2026 competition format from 16 groups of three to 12 groups of four with the top two and eight best third-placed teams progressing to a round of 32.
“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 in a statement.
The FIFA Council on Tuesday met before the 73rd ...