The New 48 Teams Format

Since FIFA President Gianni Infantino proposed the expansion to 48 teams, the football world has been divided. Critics pointed out that the technical level in the first stage could drop, allowing historic goliaths to rout lesser-known nations. On the other hand, defenders of the change (and FIFA itself) highlight the importance of globalization: allowing countries from Africa and Asia, historically underrepresented, to have a real chance on the sport's biggest stage.

In the initial format proposed by FIFA, the group stage would consist of 16 groups of only 3 teams. This caused sports panic, as the final match of the group would open the door to match-fixing — a arranged draw that would benefit both teams on the pitch and eliminate the bystander. Only after the 2022 World Cup did common sense prevail and the format was changed once again.

The consolidated format will divide the 48 teams into 12 groups of 4 teams each (Groups A to L). The format of play will be identical to the old one: round-robin within the group, totaling 3 matches per country in the first stage.

• Direct Qualification: The top two teams from each group (24 teams total) qualify automatically for the next stage.
• The Best Third-Placed Teams: Since 24 teams do not make a fair knockout bracket, the 8 best third-placed teams will also advance. This model revives the format of the 1986, 1990, and 1994 World Cups and allows for dramatic shifts until the final minutes of the group stage.

This is where the 2026 World Cup will be completely different. Advancing from the group stage will not place a team directly into the "Round of 16". For the first time in history, we will have a whole new knockout round:the Round of 32 (Dezesseis-Avos de Final).

The 32 teams qualified from the initial phase will face off in a preliminary knockout round. This means fans will have to handle much more tension. If it previously took 7 matches to be World Champion, now the winning team will have to play 8 matches.

Adding an eighth game on the route to the final raises serious concerns about the physical integrity of athletes, who already reach the end of the European season at the limit of their capacities. FIFA determined that, to accommodate the 104 total matches (a jump from the usual 64 matches), the tournament will last about 39 days — nearly six weeks of uninterrupted, high-intensity football.

Squad management will be the key differentiator in this World Cup. Coaches who previously could rely on only "13 or 14 trusted players" will now be forced to rotate the squad to prevent injuries. Having a deep and powerful bench has never been more vital for those aiming to lift the trophy in New York.