FIFA To Reconsider World Cup Format Ahead Of 2026 Tournament In North America

Gianni Infantino says planned changes to reshape the FIFA World Cup's format as a 48-team tournament will be revisited before the 2026 event in North America.
FIFA To Reconsider World Cup Format Ahead Of 2026 Tournament In North America
FIFA To Reconsider World Cup Format Ahead Of 2026 Tournament In North America /

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said that planned changes to the World Cup's format will be revisited before the next tournament in 2026.

The World Cup has been a 32-team event since 1998 but it will expand to 48 teams when it goes to North America for the next edition.

Original plans were for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada to have 16 groups of three teams.

The top two finishers in each group would then progress to a knockout phase consisting of 32 teams.

But Infantino believes that the current format, with two teams progressing from groups of four, worked so well in Qatar that a rethink could be in order.

A photo taken in 2018 after the 2026 World Cup was awarded to Canada, Mexico and the USA
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place in Canada, Mexico and the USA :: IMAGO/Matthias Koch

The group phase in Qatar witnessed some dramatic conclusions as Germany were one of three teams to be eliminated on goal difference.

Speaking in Doha on Friday, Infantino said: "Here the groups of four have been absolutely incredible.

"Until the last minute of the last match you would not know who goes through.

"We have to revisit or at least re-discuss the format. This is something that will certainly be on the agenda in the next meeting."

The last World Cup that did not feature 32 teams was USA 1994 where 24 nations were divided in six groups of four.

In 1994, the top two teams in each group progressed to the round of 16, along with four third-placed teams.


Published
Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.