The countdown to the World Cup 2026 in the United States, Mexico and Canada It already started and FIFA confirmed What format will the tournament have?. The definitive system was approved at the FIFA Council held in Kigali, Rwanda and it would be a matter of hours to officially know it.
At first, rumors suggested that the 2026 World Cup would be played with 80 games… However, later there was talk of 104 games and direct elimination from the round of 32. So after walking between apples and pears, it seems that FIFA has already made up its mind.
The first change is that the number of selections will increase from 32 to 48. The modifications to the 2026 World Cup format start from there, although they raise many doubts, taking into account that we will have 3 host countries and quite long trips.
This would be the format for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada
According to information from The Athletic, FIFA would approve the longest format for a World Cup this March 14. Although the official announcement is expected a couple of days later, the format of the tournament has already gone around the world.
The same portal confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will have 12 groups of 4 teams, since it was rumored for a long time that each group would have 3 teams. Total there will be 104 games that will be played in just 39 days and the final would be scheduled for July 19.
However, if we take into account the days of rest, release and others, the 2026 World Cup would last 56 days. And now, What’s up with the single elimination rounds? After the group stage, the top two teams from each sector will advance, as well as the top 8 third-place teams.
The logistics of the 2026 World Cup must take into account the transfers between 3 large countries; For this reason, FIFA analyzes that the teams only travel after the group stage. In addition, Brand explains that a working group will be created to take care of the health of the footballers.
Among his main tasks will be to ensure that the 72-hour rest between games is met, as well as the weekly day of rest between so much load. What do you think, will this format be more attractive for the World Cup and its fans?
