The men’s soccer World Cup will be held from 2026 with 104 instead of the previous 64 games. FIFA will make a lot of money from this, the consequences will be borne by the players and other competitions.
The 2026 World Cup will take place in the USA, Mexico and Canada, with 48 teams taking part for the first time. At the meeting of the FIFA Council in Rwanda’s capital Kigali on Tuesday (03/14/2023), the body decided to change the format. The most important consequences:
- Twelve groups of four teams each instead of 16 groups with three teams each as previously planned
- The eight best third parties reach the knockout stages alongside the twelve group winners and twelve runners-up
- A round of sixteen with 32 teams after the group stage
- 104 games instead of the last 64 games at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
- A tournament over about 40 days instead of about a month so far
Groups of three problematic, groups of four popular
At the World Cup in Qatar, 32 teams played a total of 64 games, as has been the norm since 1998. The expansion to 48 teams had been fixed since 2017. The initially planned mode with groups of three and a total of 80 games has now been discarded, mainly because groups of three can easily lead to final games that can be agreed upon.
In addition, the groups of four in Qatar were very attractive from a sporting point of view, which is why many wanted to keep the mode.
Up to eight games per player – the load increases
FIFA originally wanted to have more games overall in order to make more money – but stressed not to increase the number of games per team and thus the burden on the players. With the change in format, that thought is obsolete. So far, there was a maximum of seven games per tournament for individual players, now it could be up to eight. In order to be able to hold the tournament over around 40 days, the preparation time should be reduced, the storage phase should remain the same.
For the top players in Europe in particular, this means a much tighter schedule in future in conjunction with the Champions League, which will also have up to two more games per player in the reform that will apply from 2024.
| Year | teams | games |
|---|---|---|
1930 | 13 | 18 |
1934 | 16 | 17 |
1938 | 15 | 18 |
1950 | 13 | 22 |
1954 | 16 | 26 |
1958 | 16 | 35 |
1962 | 16 | 32 |
1966 | 16 | 32 |
1970 | 16 | 32 |
1974 | 16 | 38 |
1978 | 16 | 38 |
1982 | 24 | 52 |
1986 | 24 | 52 |
1990 | 24 | 52 |
1994 | 24 | 52 |
1998 | 32 | 64 |
2002 | 32 | 64 |
2006 | 32 | 64 |
2010 | 32 | 64 |
2014 | 32 | 64 |
2018 | 32 | 64 |
2022 | 32 | 64 |
2026 | 48 | 104 |
More games means more money
FIFA argues that more teams have better opportunities “on the development of football in the world” mean. Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s Director of Global Football Promotion, said during the World Cup in Qatar: “If more countries have the chances on the world stage, they will do more for the development of football.”
In fact, there are probably other issues in the foreground. In Russia 2018, FIFA took in around five billion euros, in Qatar 2022 FIFA expects more than seven billion. FIFA is already anticipating up to eleven billion for the upcoming 2026 World Cup cycle.
The enlarged World Cup and the introduction of the Club World Cup with 32 teams from 2025 could bring in a lot of money for FIFA and thus put other competitions under pressure in the fight for TV money if TV broadcasters or streamingservices have less money left in their budgets for the European Cup or the national leagues.
Under President Gianni Infantino, FIFA significantly increased payments to national associations. On Thursday (16.03.2023) Infantino stands unopposed at the FIFA Congress for re-election until 2027.
| Period | U.S. dollar |
|---|---|
2016 – 2018 | 1,078,625,000 |
2019 – 2022 | 1,746,000,000 |
2023 – 2026* | 2,300,000,000 |
Time and Travel: The game plan becomes a big topic
Twelve groups of four – that’s the current UEFA European Championship format, doubled in size. The schedule will be a big challenge. Some locations are extremely far apart. Between Vancouver and Mexico City are around 4,000 kilometers as the crow flies, and several stadiums are in different time zones. “The impact on the environment is an issue”said FIFA Vice-President Victor Montagliani from Canada in mid-March in London. Thousands of fans, numerous journalists and delegation members travel with the teams.
The World Cup will be played in 16 cities in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
To reduce the problem a bit, teams should play in zones. “We can’t let teams travel from New York to Los Angeles”said Montagliani. “There will be one group playing in Boston, Philadelphia and New York. Another in Vancouver and Seattle and another in Los Angeles and San Francisco.”
He contradicted a higher burden on the players. “That’s only for the top 1 percent of players, that’s where the problem is. Actually, the average pro doesn’t play that much. The idea that they’re all outplayed isn’t reality.”