2026 World Cup to Have 48 Teams

[Getslow]

Expanding from the current 32.

 

New spots allocated as follows:

 

Europe is going from 13 to 16 teams.

Africa moving from 5 bids to 9.

Asia going from 4.5 up to 8.

South America from 4.5 to 6.

North, Central America and Caribbean from 3.5 up to 6.

Oceania finally getting back its guaranteed single bid from the half bid to the playoff it has now.

 

They're also talking about doing a six-team playoff ahead of the tournament to determine the final two spots. Seems like terrible overkill to me, but the NCAA seems to like it so why not FIFA?

[plantmanky]

Ok how does half a team make it into the world cup?

[Getslow]

Ok how does half a team make it into the world cup?

 

Playoff games to determine the last two teams in. The lowest qualifiers from the four confederations with that remaining half bid get paired against each other and the winners make the final 32-team field.

[mcpapa]

Playoff games to determine the last two teams in. The lowest qualifiers from the four confederations with that remaining half bid get paired against each other and the winners make the final 32-team field.

 

[Wireman]

At that point, the United States will just need to make sure they field a team to qualify.

[Getslow]

At that point, the United States will just need to make sure they field a team to qualify.

 

Yep. It'll be interesting to see how CONCACAF reformulates qualification. My guess: double hex. Two simultaneous hexagonals with the top three from each making the tournament.

[mcpapa]

Yep. It'll be interesting to see how CONCACAF reformulates qualification. My guess: double hex. Two simultaneous hexagonals with the top three from each making the tournament.

 

[dolamite]

Not sure if I am a fan of this. If it's not broke, why fix it?

 

 

I've read that with the expanded fields there will be a lot of changes to the group stages? More groups, less teams in the group, and only 1 of the group winners advance? 1 or 3? I cannot remember, but the group stages are definitely going to experience a shake up and I'm not sure I like it.

[Getslow]

Not sure if I am a fan of this. If it's not broke, why fix it?

 

 

I've read that with the expanded fields there will be a lot of changes to the group stages? More groups, less teams in the group, and only 1 of the group winners advance? 1 or 3? I cannot remember, but the group stages are definitely going to experience a shake up and I'm not sure I like it.

 

The story I've seen is that there will be 16 groups of three with the top team in each moving into the knockout stage.

 

As for why, it fulfills Gianni Infantino's election promise to all the federations in Africa and Asia that supported his candidacy. Sepp Blatter before him had the same promise: more opportunity for countries not at the traditional centers of global football.

 

It doesn't bother me too much. It was just 24 teams as recently as 1994 and I'm sure there were the same complaints then.

[dolamite]

The story I've seen is that there will be 16 groups of three with the top team in each moving into the knockout stage.

 

As for why, it fulfills Gianni Infantino's election promise to all the federations in Africa and Asia that supported his candidacy. Sepp Blatter before him had the same promise: more opportunity for countries not at the traditional centers of global football.

 

It doesn't bother me too much. It was just 24 teams as recently as 1994 and I'm sure there were the same complaints then.

 

I thought it was something like that, fewer teams, more groups, only one advances.

 

I don't really mind it per say due to format reasons as much as the idea it may be harder for the Americans or other national teams to make it out of the group stage. You end up in a tough group and it's a uphill climb for sure, when in years past even in the group of death you have an out as long as you finish top 2.

 

 

Also, will this be a double round robin format like the UEFA Champions League group stage or does each team have two games and that's it? I may like the setup more if each team has four matches, two with each opposing group side.