As the 2022 World Cup advances to the quarterfinals, the United States and FIFA are already thinking about the tournament and matches that will be held in 2026.
The tournament in Qatar this year had 32 teams with eight groups of four, creating an exciting Group Stage that made for some tight battles and surprising results for spots in the Round of 16. As FIFA eyes future growth and even greater revenue, its eyes fall on North America.
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The 2026 World Cup will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada. It marks the first time in history that the tournament was held in three separate countries, with 16 venues across North America being used to host games.
While there are still years of planning ahead, die-hard football fans across the world and casual followers of soccer in the United States can look forward to more games and even more teams participating.
- When is the 2026 World Cup? June 8 – July 3, 2026
According to Front Office Sports, the 2026 World Cup will expand to 48 teams and it might only be part of the expansions. Organizers also want to increase the number of games played, extending it from 80 to potentially 104.
2026 World Cup format
The initial plan for the 2026 tournament called for 16 groups of three teams. Under that format, the top two teams in each group would advance to the knockout stage. However, there is a new plan under consideration.
According to Tom Morgan and Thom Gibbs of The Telegraph, FIFA is considering changing the format to 12 groups of four. It’s a move that would have significant ripple effects on the number of games played and what countries advance.
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If the 2026 tournament use›s 12 groups each made up of four countries, the top two teams in each group would still advance. However, the knockout round would also have spots for eight teams that finished in third place.
Making that type of change would also lead to a first in World Cup history. With 48 teams and a 32-country bracket for the knockout round, there would be 104 games played on the 2026 World Cup schedule, marking the first time ever that 100-plus games were held.
No decision is final, with FIFA and the hosting countries likely to weigh which format is ultimately best. However, more money means increased revenue and money makes a lot of decisions for FIFA.