FIFA: The governing body of football around the world, FIFA, has made an important announcement regarding the upcoming seasons. The announcement concerned the 2026 Men’s World Cup, which is set to take place in North America. The news revealed that FIFA has decided to expand the tournament in 2026, with a new format.
What is the new format for FIFA World Cup 2026?
As per the new format in the 2026 World Cup, there will be twelve groups, each having four teams. Earlier, there were 16 groups of three teams. Experts believe that this change will bring in a significant impact on the structure of the tournament and qualification scenario as well. A total of 48 teams will be participating in the tournament. To win the world cup now, a team would need to play at least eight matches now.
The number of games played throughout the tournament will significantly increase along with the increase in teams. 64 games were contested at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. The number of matches played will rise to 104 now as per the latest format.
FIFA World Cup 2026 final date
During the recent FIFA Council meeting held in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, some significant decisions were announced. One of the most noteworthy was the confirmation of the date for the next Men’s World Cup final, which will take place on Sunday, 19th July 2026.
The new international schedule for the 2025–2030 window was also released by FIFA, and it features the addition of a 16–day, four–match window in September–October starting in 2026, as well as a nine–day, two–match window in March, June, and November.
Regarding the Women’s international match calendar 2024-25, it will comprise of six international windows per year. The women’s football tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games has been scheduled to be held from 25th July to 10th August.
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