The number of matches at the summer's tournament will increase from 64 to 104 with a new round of 32, and will impact results and approaches

The World Cup started in 1930 with just 13 teams involved and was split into four groups. It became a 16-team tournament in 1954, before being increased to 24 in 1982. The past seven editions of the World Cup have been 32-team tournaments,

There are a couple of important format changes at this tournament as to see which teams will reach the knockout portion. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups – plus the top eight third-place teams across the board – will then reach the first ever Round of 32 at a World Cup. Let's dive into how it all works.

For the first time, a record 48 teams will compete in the FIFA World Cup 2026. This includes the three hosts—the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Under-20 Women’s National Team is training in Aveiro, Portugal, for one of its final preparation periods before the World Cup. In addition to the friendlies already played against Finland U-23

Get answers to all key questions about the tournament, including schedule, host cities, teams, format, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and where to watch in India.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will span three host nations and multiple iconic venues across North America, with a revamped opening show format involving FIFA. But how many ceremonies will actually kick off the tournament?

We wanted to figure it out, so we ranked all 12 groups in this year's World Cup -from easiest to the dreaded Group of Death. You might not be as likely to see an absurd accumulation of talent under this new format, given just how many more groups there are. But certain paths sure seem easier than others.