World Cup 2026 to feature 12 groups of four teams

The expanded 2026 males’s World Cup in North America will begin with 12 groups of four teams, a change from the unique deliberate format of 16 groups of three, soccer’s world governing physique FIFA introduced on Tuesday.

“The revised format mitigates the chance of collusion and ensures that every one the teams play a minimal of three matches, whereas offering balanced relaxation time between competing teams,” FIFA mentioned of the format for the primary World Cup to feature 48 teams, up from 32 sides on the current match in Qatar.

It signifies that there will probably be 104 matches performed, an enormous enhance on the 64 video games eventually 12 months’s match.

FIFA’s authentic plan for 2026, when the World Cup will probably be held within the (*12*) States, Canada and Mexico, was for 16 groups of three teams, from which the highest two would advance to a final 32.

The brand new determined format means the highest two in every group will undergo to the knockout spherical together with the eight finest third-placed sides.

Consequently, the finalists, and the teams ending third and fourth, will play a complete of eight video games as a substitute of the present seven.

The choice comes after a dramatic group stage on the match in Qatar satisfied FIFA {that a} rethink was wanted.

“The groups of four have been completely unbelievable till the final minute of the final match,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino mentioned in December.

Tuesday’s determination was introduced following a FIFA Council assembly within the Rwandan capital Kigali, at which it confirmed the following males’s World Cup remaining will probably be performed on Sunday, July 19, 2026.

Infantino is anticipated to be waved in for a brand new four-year time period as president as he stands unopposed for re-election at Thursday’s FIFA Congress.