The new format will divide the 48 teams into 12 groups. Each group will have four teams competing against each other. The top two teams from each group will move on to the knockout stage. In addition, some of the best third-place teams will also advance. This creates a round of 32, which is new for the tournament. From there, it follows a standard knockout format until the final. The setup is designed to keep more teams competitive for longer.
Tags of this article / FIFA-2026