World Cup 2026 format: 48 teams, 12 groups, bracket
How the 2026 FIFA World Cup works: 48 teams in 12 groups of four, who advances to the round of 32, how the bracket runs to the final, host cities in the USA, Canada and Mexico, and where to follow fixtures and standings.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first with 48 teams, so the format is different from every tournament before it. This guide explains the group stage, how teams advance, the knockout bracket and the schedule, with links to the live group tables and bracket on goal888.
48 teams, 12 groups of four
The 48 qualified teams are drawn into 12 groups (A to L) of four teams each. Every team plays the other three in its group once, so each team has three group matches. Points work as usual: 3 for a win, 1 for a draw.
Who advances from the groups
Thirty-two teams go through to the knockout stage:
- the top two of each of the 12 groups (24 teams), plus
- the eight best third-placed teams, ranked across all groups by points, then goal difference, then goals scored, then disciplinary points, then the FIFA ranking.
That means 16 of the 48 teams go home after the group stage, and finishing third is not the end if the record is good enough.
The knockout bracket
The knockout stage starts with a round of 32, followed by the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, the third-place match and the final. A team that wins the tournament plays eight matches in total, one more than at the 32-team World Cups. Every knockout match that is level after 90 minutes goes to extra time and, if needed, penalties.
The bracket page on goal888 fills in automatically as group tables are decided: World Cup 2026 bracket.
Hosts, cities and dates
The tournament is hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Matches are spread across 16 host cities: 11 in the USA, 3 in Mexico and 2 in Canada. The opening match is scheduled for 11 June 2026 in Mexico City and the final for 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Following the tournament on goal888
- Group tables for all 12 groups, updated after every match
- Fixtures and results with kick-off times in your local time zone
- Team pages for every national team with form, squads and head-to-head records
FAQ
How many teams play at the 2026 World Cup? 48, up from 32 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
How many groups are there? 12 groups of four teams, labelled A to L.
How many teams qualify from each group? The top two from every group plus the eight best third-placed teams, 32 in total.
How many matches are there in total? 104 matches, compared with 64 in the 32-team format.
When is the 2026 World Cup final? 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey.
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