What to expect from the 48-team format at the World Cup 2026

The FIFA World Cup 2026, hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, will feature a record 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the round of 32. Arsene Wenger, FIFA's chief of global football development, views this expansion as a natural evolution to make football truly global.