New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) The FIFA World Cup 2026 will mark the beginning of a completely new era in international football as the tournament expands from 32 teams to 48 teams for the first time in history.

The tournament, which begins on June 11, will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It will also be the biggest World Cup ever organised, in terms of both the number of participating nations and the number of matches.

For football fans, the new format may appear confusing at first, but FIFA believes the changes will make the competition more inclusive and global.

Under the previous system, 32 teams were divided into eight groups of four teams each. The top two teams from every group advanced to the Round of 16 before the knockout stages began.

For FIFA 2026, the 48 participating nations will now be divided into 12 groups of four teams each. Every team will continue to play three group-stage matches.

The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will qualify for the knockout rounds. This means 32 teams will enter the knockout stage instead of 16 under the older format.

As a result, the tournament will now feature an additional knockout round called the Round of 32 before progressing to the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.

The total number of matches has increased from 64 to 104, while the competition itself will run for almost six weeks.

The increase in slots have benefited many nations who are making a comeback in the multinational tournament after a long gap. Iraq is returning to the tournament after 40 years. Scotland will play their first World Cup in 28 years.

There are 16 stadiums across the three countries, which have the hosting rights, including 11 in the USA, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. The United States will host most of the matches, including the final, while Canada and Mexico will also stage games during the tournament. Mexico will become the first nation to host matches in three separate World Cups after previously organising editions in 1970 and 1986.

Apart from football, FIFA 2026 is expected to become one of the biggest sporting events in history in terms of revenue, broadcasting, and fan attendance, as the watch time will increase.

–IANS

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