Page 69 - Soccer360 Issue 104

GAME ON
With the World cup 2026 tournament expanded to 48 teams for the first time in history, the current group stage format and knockout stage format will change. With 11 cities in the U.S., three in Mexico and two in Canada hosting games, kicking off in June 2026. Below is everything you need to know on the World Cup format, qualification and how it will all work.
The 48 qualified teams will be split into 16 groups of three
Each team will play two group stage games (down one from three)
The 1st- and 2nd-place finishers in each group go to the round of 32
An extra knockout round, the Round of 32, will be created
The knockout round will then continue from the Round of 16 same as previous World Cups
2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION
FIFA have confirmed how the new qualification process will work, as the following formula was voted in at their 67th FIFA congress:
UEFA = 16 teams will qualify
CAF = 9.5 (.5 represents one playoff team) AFC = 8.5
CONMEBOL = 6.5
CONCACAF = 6.5
OFC = 1.5
A playoff tournament involving six teams will be held in the U.S., Mexico and Canada to decide the final two teams who reach the World Cup. The two playoff teams with the highest FIFA world ranking will be seeded, while the other four will play a semifinal round to decide who reaches the final to play the two seeded teams.
One playoff team will come from each of the confederations (except UEFA) and there will be an extra team from the CONCACAF region to make up the six teams.
KNOCKOUT ROUNDS
This is something which will be really intriguing in the years to come as FIFA plan out the logistics of where to hold group stage games, the knockout rounds and where national teams will be based.
We know one thing: FIFA will hold 80 games at the tournament with 60 games in the USA, 10 in Mexico and 10 in Canada. That has already been confirmed.
Most likely regional groups of cities so games can be hosted in different cities but with very little travel for fans and teams. With that in mind, putting a World Cup group in paired cities would work very well and then keeping those teams in a certain region of the U.S., Mexico and Canada for the first few rounds of the knockouts would also make sense.
For example: Groups A and B will be based on the West Coast for the group stage, plus Round of 32 and Round of 16, while Groups C and D will be based on the East Coast
for the group stage, plus Round of 32 and Round of 16, and so on and so forth.
Vancouver + Seattle
San Francisco + LA Mexico City + Guadalajara Monterrey + Houston Kansas City + Dallas Atlanta + Miami
Boston + Toronto Philadelphia + New York
2026 WORLD CUP FINAL
It seems like three locations across the USA are the frontrunners: Los Angeles, Dallas and New York City/NJ.
The latter seems like the favorite as things stand, especially as FIFA chose NYC to unveil the 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup. Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium has hosted two World Cup finals in the past and despite its iconic status in world soccer, expect the final to be held in the USA.
2026 WORLD CUP FORMAT, SHIFTING
FROM BEING A 32-TEAM TOURNAMENT TO
MOST LIKELY CITIES COULD BE PAIRED
TOGETHER TO HOST GAMES IN 2026:
A 48-TEAM COMPETITION.
CONMEBOL
QUALIFYING
STANDINGS
TEAM PLD W D L PTS
Argentina 6 5 0 1 15
Uruguay 6 4 1 1 13
Colombia 6 3 3 0 12
Venezuela 6 2 3 1 9
Ecuador 6 3218
Brazil 62137
Paraguay 6 1235
Chile 61235
Bolivia 6 1053
Peru 6 0242
2026 World Cup Qualfying Inter-confederation play-offs Elimination
Argentina pulled off a historic win against Brazil in qualification
complications. Brazil’s football federation, the CBF, faces criticism for what appears to be muddled thinking, potentially wasting a year in a transition period.
The decision to appoint Diniz, a long-term project coach, for a short-term role now seems to have backfired. Brazil finds itself in a precarious position, having potentially squandered a year in preparation for Ancelotti. Meanwhile, Diniz, amid what should be a celebratory period after a successful season with Fluminense, is navigating the challenges
of a dream job that might not be his for long. The narrative has shifted from anticipation to disappointment, raising questions about Brazil’s decision-making and the future direction of its national team.
Eder Militaois
a key part or Brazil’s success
SOCCER360 67
As expected, Argentina continues to lead the way