The 2026 World Cup will have 104 matches instead of the traditional 64 games due to the expanded format with 48 teams taking part, global soccer governing body FIFA said on Tuesday.The 2026 edition, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will be the first edition of the quadrenni
The 2026 World Cup will have 104 matches instead of the traditional 64 games due to the expanded format with 48 teams taking part, global soccer governing body FIFA said on Tuesday.
"The FIFA Council unanimously approved the proposed amendment to the FIFA World Cup 2026 competition format from 16 groups of three to 12 groups of four with the top two and eight best third-placed teams progressing to a round of 32," FIFA said. The 32-team World Cup in Qatar last year had a total of 64 matches completed in 29 days. The last time Mexico and the United States hosted a World Cup, there were only 24 teams.
The original plan for the 2026 edition had a total of 80 matches but the decision to increase the number of games to 104 was approved by FIFA's council at a meeting on Tuesday.
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