How Many Teams Will Compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup? | OneFootball

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted across three countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Set to take place from Jun. 11 to Jul. 19, this tournament marks the first time the World Cup has been held in North America since 1994.

Back then, the competition was hosted solely in the U.S. and featured 24 teams, with Brazil emerging victorious to claim its fourth title.

Next year's edition, however, will see far more than just 24 more competing for world soccer’s ultimate prize.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Total Number of Teams in the 2026 FIFA World Cup

USMNT forward Christian Pulisic. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams, making it the largest edition in history.

The 1994 tournament was the last to include just 24 teams, with the competition expanding to 32 in the years since. FIFA approved the move to 48 teams in January 2017, though the exact format wasn’t finalized until 2023.

The participating nations in 2026 will come from all six FIFA confederations: UEFA (Europe), CONMEBOL (South America), AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North and Central America & the Caribbean), and OFC (Oceania).

How Will the 48-Team Format Work?

Argentina won the 2022 World Cup. / PA Images/IMAGO

Due to the increase in teams, the 2026 World Cup will feature a different format compared to previous editions.

Instead of the traditional eight groups of four, there will be 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the Round of 32.

The Round of 32 is a new addition, not present in previous tournaments. After that, the tournament will proceed as usual with the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.

With more teams comes more games. In 2026, there will be a total of 104 matches, 40 more than in 2022. The eventual champion will have to play eight games, one more than Argentina did when they emerged as the victor last time out.

Why Did FIFA Expand the World Cup to 48 Teams?

FIFA president Gianni Infantino. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Despite widespread criticism of the expansion, with some labeling it a "money grab," FIFA president Gianni Infantino has insisted the decision was purely a sporting one.

“We are in the 21st century, and we should shape the World Cup for the 21st century. Football is more than Europe and South America; football is global," Infantino said in 2017, shortly after the expansion plans were officially confirmed, according to The Guardian.

While FIFA has emphasized the sporting benefits, they haven't shied away from acknowledging the financial aspect of the 2026 World Cup.

The governing body has projected that the increase to 48 teams will generate an additional $1 billion in revenue, and $640 million in profit. Infantino has promised this will be reinvested into the global soccer ecosystem, with all 211 FIFA member countries receiving $5 million a year to aid development.

"Increasing the size of teams that can participate will increase investment in football development to ensure that more teams have the opportunity to qualify," said Swiss-Italian soccer administrator.

Which Regions Benefit Most from the Expansion?

All six of FIFA's confederations will have more teams represented at the 2026 World Cup compared to previous years.

The confederation that will benefit the most from the expansion is CAF (Africa), which will have nine teams in North America, up from the five it had in Qatar.

For the first time ever, a team from OFC (Oceania) is guaranteed to qualify for the tournament, having been awarded a direct slot by FIFA. The last time a team from OFC participated in the World Cup was in 2010, when Australia qualified before moving to the AFC.

Here’s a table showing the changes in how many teams each confederation will have at the 2026 World Cup:

Impact of the 48-Team World Cup on Soccer

Brazil duo Neymar and Vinícius Júnior. / IMAGO/NurPhoto

The most obvious benefit—if everything goes as planned and the revenue is reinvested properly, as promised by Infantino—is that soccer would become an even more global sport, both in terms of where it's played and its overall viewership.

With smaller nations now having both the incentive and the resources to strengthen their soccer infrastructure, the game's reach and competitiveness should expand.

On the flip side, however, an increase in World Cup matches means an already congested soccer calendar becomes even more packed. This raises concerns about player fatigue, a higher risk of injuries, and the potential dilution of domestic leagues if fixtures begin to overlap.

Factor in the now-expanded FIFA Club World Cup on top of that, and domestic managers are likely to have even more reason to voice their frustrations in the years ahead.