How the new group stage works

The 2026 World Cup

Chapter 1

Three nations one giant tournament

Chapter 2

The brand new 48-team format

Chapter 3

Iconic stadiums and host cities

YOUR GOAL

Master of The 2026 World Cup

Ch 2 · The brand new 48-team format

maya World Cup 2026 Format

World Cup 2026, get ready for the show! (Oh-oh, 48 teams, let's go!)

maya A brand new round of 32

maya A brand new round of 32

How the new group stage works

maya How the new group stage works

Pocket Pitch

BETA

maya Match each team to its group to understand the World Cup 2026 tournament structure.

Fun Fact

Record-breaking games: The expansion to 48 teams increases the total matches from 64 to 104, making it the longest World Cup in history.

Glossary

expansion (noun)
The historic growth of the World Cup to a forty-eight-team format. It's like inviting sixteen more friends to the world's biggest soccer party.

Gossip

Which debut team are you rooting for?

Quiz

How many groups of four teams are there in the 2026 group stage?

maya Why more teams than ever get in

BETA

maya Match national teams to their groups to understand the World Cup 2026 bracket.

Quiz

Which of the following Asian nations is making its historical FIFA World Cup debut in 2026?

maya How the new group stage works

Quiz

How many total matches will be played during the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

maya The new nations making historic debuts

Quiz

In which month of 2026 does this expanded tournament begin and end?

Quiz

How many teams are competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Quiz

How many matches must a team play to win the 2026 World Cup, including group and knockout stages?

Quiz

What brand new knockout round has been added to the World Cup due to the format expansion?

Quiz

How many third-place teams will advance from the group stage to the knockout round in 2026?