FIFA World Cup 2026: What You Need to Know About the New Group Stage Format
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to take place in Canada, Mexico, and mostly the United States. The final is set for July 19th, here is everything you need to know regarding the new group stage format.
For the first time since France 1998, FIFA will change the format of the FIFA World Cup. From 1998 until 2022 the format was of 32 teams, now the number of teams will increase to 46 and the format of the tournament will be altered.
The host cities will be a total of 16 with 3 stadiums going to Mexico, 2 to Canada, and the rest to the United States. When the tournament begins in June of 2026 still remains to be determined and where the final will take place is also being finalized.
One of the many questions fans have about the new FIFA World Cup format is how do the group stage stack up? Here is what FIFA voted on as the new format for the tournament.
New FIFA World Cup group stage
On March 14, 2023, the FIFA Council approved a revised format which will consist of 12 four-team groups. The number of games is set to increase from 64 to 104, with the finalist playing eight games instead of seven.
The tournament will also go up from 30 days to an estimated 40 days, the top two teams of each group would qualify for the knockout stage with the top eight third-placed teams also qualifying to the round of 32.
Kelvin Loyola is a seasoned content writer and journalist at Bolavip, boasting over 15 years of experience in sports journalism and marketing. He has covered a wide array of sports including the USMNT, MLS, Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and Liga MX, as well as the NBA, MLB, NHL, and various entertainment topics. Prior to his journalism and marketing career, Kelvin worked in post-production, contributing to numerous movie, television, and digital projects. He also brings expertise in project management, social media, and web development. A graduate of Queens College with a degree in Media Studies, Kelvin is bilingual, fluent in both English and Spanish. His passions extend beyond his career to include soccer, marketing, photography, surfing, and pop culture, particularly comics.
