World Cup: Understanding the new tournament format

The biggest event in world football is getting a major overhaul this year. FIFA have changed the World Cup format, introducing more national teams and additional matches for fans to enjoy.

The headline change is the expansion from 32 to 48 qualified teams. As a result, four countries—Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan—will make their World Cup debuts, each qualifying without a play-off.

To be crowned champions, a team now needs to play eight matches instead of seven. The structure remains similar, with 12 groups of four teams. The top two from each group, plus the eight best third-placed sides, advance to a new round of 32. The key difference is the introduction of an additional knockout stage.

Under the new format, the World Cup will feature 104 matches played over 38 days. The expansion is expected to significantly boost FIFA's revenue, with the governing body aiming to increase investment in nations where football is still developing.

“There is no better development tool than participating in a major international tournament. There is no point spending millions on football stadiums if no one plays in them, and there is nothing that creates more enthusiasm than participation. The qualification of certain countries for a World Cup is very positive for the development of football,” — FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Another landmark change is that the 2026 World Cup will, for the first time in history, be hosted across three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The opening ceremony will take place at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which previously hosted the finals in 1970 and 1986.

However, the USA will stage the majority of matches—78 of the 104 games—including the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Take advantage of the latest World Cup betting offers before placing your bet.

The 2026 World Cup Groups

Group A	Group B	Group C (World Cup Group C preview)
Mexico	Bosnia	Brazil
South Africa	Canada	Scotland
South Korea	Qatar	Haiti
Czech Republic	Switzerland	Morocco

Group D	Group E (World Cup Group E preview)	Group F
Australia	Germany	Netherlands
United States	Ivory Coast	Japan
Paraguay	Curaçao	Sweden
Turkey	Ecuador	Tunisia

Group G	Group H	Group I
Belgium	Saudi Arabia	France
Egypt	Cape Verde	Iraq
Iran	Spain	Norway
New Zealand	Uruguay	Senegal

Group J	Group K	Group L
Argentina	Colombia	Croatia
Algeria	DR Congo	Ghana
Jordan	Portugal	England
Austria	Uzbekistan	Panama

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Full Group-Stage Schedule

Thursday, 11 June

• 20:00 – Mexico vs. South Africa (Group A)

Friday, 12 June

• 03:00 – South Korea vs. Czech Republic (Group A)
• 20:00 – Canada vs. Bosnia (Group B)

Saturday, 13 June

• 02:00 – United States vs. Paraguay (Group D)
• 20:00 – Qatar vs. Switzerland (Group B)
• 23:00 – Brazil vs. Morocco (Group C)

Sunday, 14 June

• 02:00 – Haiti vs. Scotland (Group C)
• 05:00 – Australia vs. Turkey (Group D)
• 18:00 – Germany vs. Curaçao (Group E)
• 21:00 – Netherlands vs. Japan (Group F)

Monday, 15 June

• 00:00 – Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador (Group E)
• 03:00 – Sweden vs. Tunisia (Group F)
• 17:00 – Spain vs. Cape Verde (Group H)
• 20:00 – Belgium vs. Egypt (Group G)
• 23:00 – Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay (Group H)

Tuesday, 16 June

• 02:00 – Iran vs. New Zealand (Group G)
• 20:00 – France vs. Senegal (Group I)
• 23:00 – Iraq vs. Norway (Group I)

Wednesday, 17 June

• 02:00 – Argentina vs. Algeria (Group J)
• 05:00 – Austria vs. Jordan (Group J)
• 18:00 – Portugal vs. DR Congo (Group K)
• 21:00 – England vs. Croatia (Group L)

Thursday, 18 June

• 00:30 – Ghana vs. Panama (Group L)
• 03:00 – Uzbekistan vs. Colombia (Group K)
• 17:00 – Czech Republic vs. South Africa (Group A)
• 20:00 – Switzerland vs. Bosnia (Group B)
• 23:00 – Canada vs. Qatar (Group B)

Friday, 19 June

• 02:00 – Mexico vs. South Korea (Group A)
• 20:00 – United States vs. Australia (Group D)
• 23:00 – Scotland vs. Morocco (Group C)

Saturday, 20 June

• 02:00 – Brazil vs. Haiti (Group C)
• 05:00 – Turkey vs. Paraguay (Group D)
• 18:00 – Netherlands vs. Sweden (Group F)
• 21:00 – Germany vs. Ivory Coast (Group E)

Sunday, 21 June

• 01:00 – Ecuador vs. Curaçao (Group E)
• 05:00 – Tunisia vs. Japan (Group F)
• 17:00 – Spain vs. Saudi Arabia (Group H)
• 20:00 – Belgium vs. Iran (Group G)
• 23:00 – Uruguay vs. Cape Verde (Group H)

Monday, 22 June

• 03:00 – New Zealand vs. Egypt (Group G)
• 18:00 – Argentina vs. Austria (Group J)
• 22:00 – France vs. Iraq (Group I)

Tuesday, 23 June

• 01:00 – Norway vs. Senegal (Group I)
• 04:00 – Jordan vs. Algeria (Group J)
• 18:00 – Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (Group K)
• 21:00 – England vs. Ghana (Group L)

Wednesday, 24 June

• 00:00 – Panama vs. Croatia (Group L)
• 03:00 – Colombia vs. DR Congo (Group K)
• 20:00 – Switzerland vs. Canada (Group B)
• 20:00 – Bosnia vs. Qatar (Group B)
• 23:00 – Scotland vs. Brazil (Group C)
• 23:00 – Morocco vs. Haiti (Group C)

Thursday, 25 June

• 02:00 – Czech Republic vs. Mexico (Group A)
• 02:00 – South Africa vs. South Korea (Group A)
• 21:00 – Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast (Group E)
• 21:00 – Ecuador vs. Germany (Group E)

Friday, 26 June

• 00:00 – Japan vs. Sweden (Group F)
• 00:00 – Tunisia vs. Netherlands (Group F)
• 03:00 – Turkey vs. United States (Group D)
• 03:00 – Paraguay vs. Australia (Group D)
• 20:00 – Norway vs. France (Group I)
• 20:00 – Senegal vs. Iraq (Group I)

Saturday, 27 June

• 01:00 – Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (Group H)
• 01:00 – Uruguay vs. Spain (Group H)
• 04:00 – New Zealand vs. Belgium (Group G)
• 04:00 – Egypt vs. Iran (Group G)
• 22:00 – Panama vs. England (Group L)
• 22:00 – Croatia vs. Ghana (Group L)

Sunday, 28 June

• 00:30 – Colombia vs. Portugal (Group K)
• 00:30 – DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan (Group K)
• 03:00 – Jordan vs. Argentina (Group J)
• 03:00 – Algeria vs. Austria (Group J)