FIFA’s Council announced on 14 March that the World Cup group stage format for 2026 will be changed from 16 groups of three teams to 12 groups of four teams, increasing the number of matches from 64 to 104. The change means that to win a World Cup, a nation will have to play eight games, up from the seven in place since 1974.
NEW FORMAT
Under the new format, the top two teams in each group and the top eight third-place teams will advance to a new round of 32 that starts the knockout phase. Advancement for third-place teams was eliminated for 1998 when the tournament expanded from 24 teams to 32.
WHY CHANGE?
The original format for the 2026 tournament in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada was adopted by the Council in January 2017 when the World Cup was expanded from 32 nations to 48 starting in 2026. However, that format would have meant two teams playing on the final day of the group with one team off, which could lead to corruption.
The current schedule of having all teams in a group kick off simultaneously on the final day was adopted after the Disgrace of Gijón at the 1982 World Cup in Spain when West Germany and Austria knew that a one- or two-goal win by the Germans would advance both nations at the expense of Algeria.
The tournament is likely to be between 38 and 42 days, which is up from 29 for last year’s tournament in Qatar and 32 for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The 1994 tournament was held from June 17 to July 17.
IMPACT ON PLAYERS AND CLUBS
FIFA announced the mandatory release date for players to be made available to national teams by their clubs will be May 25, a day after leagues must play their final pre-World Cup matches. However, continental finals such as the Champions League may take place through May 30, subject to FIFA approval. The release date is followed by a rest period — which means training is allowed but national team friendlies are prohibited. FIFA said the 56 days of rest, release, and tournament remain identical to the 2010, 2014, and 2018 FIFA World Cups.
The change in format may impact players and clubs, but it will provide more opportunities for nations to advance and create more excitement for fans.
