Due to the historic expansion of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA decided to increase the number of participating teams to 48, compared to 32 in previous editions, distributed across 12 groups of four teams each, in the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The top two teams from each group qualify directly to the round of 32, along with the eight best third-placed teams, after which the knockout stage begins, continuing until the final match and the crowning of the world champion.

This new system comes as part of FIFA's efforts to broaden global participation and give more teams a chance to appear on the international stage, contributing to increased competitiveness and enriching the tournament with diverse encounters between different football schools.

The 2026 edition will also see a significant increase in the number of matches, rising from 64 to 104 matches, making it the largest edition in World Cup history in terms of teams and matches, with expectations that it will be one of the most exciting and thrilling tournaments ever.