World Cup 2026 format: 48 teams, 12 groups, 104 matches

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition with 48 teams, expanded from 32. The teams are drawn into 12 groups of four.

The top two from each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, advance to a new 32-team knockout phase (the Round of 32), followed by the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final — 104 matches in total.

It is also the first World Cup co-hosted by three nations — Canada, Mexico and the United States — and is played in June and July 2026.