UEFA to have smaller groups for World Cup, Euros qualifying
By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer
GENEVA (AP) — UEFA wants qualifying for the men’s World Cup and European Championship to be more interesting and had decided that teams will no longer play in six-team groups after Euro 2024. UEFA expects “less predictable and more dynamic” play when 2026 World Cup qualifying begins in March 2025 with 12 groups each of four or five teams. A new quarterfinal round will also be introduced in the Nations League starting in 2025 as part of a wider revamp of European national-team games.