The 2026 FIFA World Cup features 48 teams for the first time in history, expanded from 32. Teams are divided into 12 groups of 4, with the top 2 from each group plus the 8 best third-placed teams advancing to a 32-team knockout round.

The group stage expands from 8 groups to 12 groups of 4 teams. Each team plays 3 group matches (same as before). Groups are labeled A through L.

From each group, the top 2 teams qualify automatically (24 teams). The 8 best third-placed teams across all 12 groups also advance, giving 32 teams in the knockout stage.

Third-place ranking uses: points, goal difference, goals scored, then fair play.

The tournament runs June 11 – July 19, 2026 with 104 total matches (up from 64 in 2022). The group stage has 72 matches. The knockout stage has 32.

The United States hosts 11 venues, Mexico hosts 3, and Canada hosts 2 — the first World Cup held across three nations.

FIFA voted unanimously in January 2017 to expand the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, beginning with the 2026 edition. The expansion gives more nations a chance to compete on the world stage — especially from Africa, Asia, and CONCACAF — while increasing the total number of matches and revenue.