The world football association FIFA and the tournament organizers think “GuardiansAccording to the report, about a format change for the upcoming larger World Cup in 2026. So far, the first finals are to be played in 16 groups of three with 48 teams in the USA, Canada and Mexico in the preliminary round. According to the report, the possibility of twelve groups of four is currently being discussed “informally” during the World Cup in Qatar.
If the top two in the group and the eight best third parties advance in this mode, that would lead to 104 World Cup games – that would be 40 more games than are currently on the schedule in Qatar and 24 more than previously planned in 2026. With 16 groups of three and the following four knockout rounds, a total of 80 World Cup games will be played.
Atlanta to Vancouver: The 2026 World Cup stadiums sorted by size
The previous mode is criticized for the higher risk of collusion, since a nation must be free of play. FIFA expects significantly higher income from the increased number of games in the three-country finals. 16 countries that qualify in addition to the previous 32 will benefit.
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