How the format works
The tournament features 48 national teams, a group stage and an expanded knockout stage that begins with the Round of 32. This page should be updated with the official group-stage details and tiebreaker language.
Explainer
World Cup 2026 48-team format explained
The 2026 tournament expands to 48 teams and introduces a larger knockout path. This page is built for evergreen searches before and during the event.
Pages to link from here
- Group stage guide
- Round of 32 bracket
- Knockout stage rules
- Team qualification tracker