How the 2026 FIFA World Cup will work with an expanded field of competitors
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
For just the second time since 1930, the FIFA World Cup will kick off in the United States on Thursday. However, the 2026 edition of this tournament won't just be making U.S. history, but also some international history.
It will be the first time that the World Cup will feature 48 teams, increased from the 32-team field that FIFA had used in years prior. For players, the expanded field, only means one more game added to their slate, but for fans it means there are now 104 matches to watch over the next five weeks, instead of 64.
How it works:
As usual, the World Cup will start in the 'group stage,' as teams are randomly divided into groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and L, with four teams in each group.
In order to move past the group stage, teams will have to earn the most points. To earn points, these countries will need to win games because the two teams with the most points in group will move forward into a single-elimination bracket. However, a new wrinkle in this year's World Cup is that eight of the top-performing third place teams will also move forward into bracket play.
A win, draw and loss in the World Cup are all worth different amounts of points, going towards the team's standing in group stage action. You can find a full breakdown of those points below.
- Win = 3 points
- Draw = 1 point
- Loss = 0 points
Once teams move past the group stage, the tournament transforms into a format that most fans of college hoops will understand well: a 32-team single-elimination bracket. It works just like March Madness, as teams must win to advance, dwindling down the field from 32, to 16, to eight, to four, to two and then finally to the champion.
In World Cup history, Brazil holds the most titles all-time, with five World Cup championships since the tournament's inception in 1930. Right behind Brazil, its a tie for second place between Germany and Italy, as both countries hold four titles. Then, the reigning World Cup champs are in third place, as Argentina has captured three titles, with the latest coming in 2022.
It's just the second time in history that this global event has come stateside, but it will be the very first time that Missouri has hosted games. The action in Kansas City will get going on Tuesday, June 16, when Argentina and Algeria meet on the pitch at Arrowhead Stadium at 8 p.m. CT.
