The 2026 World Cup is underway, marking the 23rd edition of the global tournament. This edition is unique, as it is the first time the event has been co-hosted by three separate countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Expanded Field and New Format
The 2026 World Cup features an expanded field of 48 teams, up from the traditional 32-team field. The top two teams from each of the 12 four-team groups will advance to the knockout stage. The group stage consists of round-robin play, with each team playing the other three teams in their group once.
Ties in the standings will be determined by the following tiebreaker rules:
- points earned in all group matches
- goal difference in all group matches
- number of goals scored in all group matches
The eight best third-place teams from the group stage will also advance to the knockout stage, which will feature single-elimination matches.
Round of 32 and Beyond
The Round of 32 will begin immediately after the completion of the group stage play. The matchups for the Round of 32 will depend on which groups the eight third-place teams emerge from.
To advance to the World Cup Final, a team will have to play in the Round of 32, followed by the Round of 16, the quarterfinals, the semifinals, and finally the final match.
The 2026 World Cup Final will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New York.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
