How many groups will the 2026 World Cup have?
The new format of the competition contemplates that the 48 participating teams will be divided into 12 groups of four teams, of which the top two and the eight best third-placed teams from each group will qualify for the round of 16.
How many matches will United 2026 have?
With the new distribution of the groups, matches will increase considerably. From the 64 matches played since France 1998, 104 matches will be played in the next World Cup, which will be divided over the 40 days of the tournament.
For FIFA, the new format "mitigates the risk of collusion and ensures that all teams play a minimum of three matches, while providing a balanced rest time between competing teams".
When was the last time there was a change in the World Cup format?
The last time a major change was made to the World Cup was for the one held in France 1998, where the number of participating teams increased from 24 to 32.