
<p>FIFA is reportedly set to announce the official 2026 World Cup format. The governing body of the sport appears ready to expand the total amount of games at the tournament to 104. This would also extend the total length of the competition from 29 to 39 days.</p>



<p>According to a report by <em><a href="https://theathletic.com/4307230/2023/03/14/world-cup-2026-format-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Athletic</a></em>, FIFA is holding a meeting on Tuesday to make the final approval on the adjustments. There isn’t expected to be much resistance on making the changes.</p>



<p>The 2026 World Cup was already expanding to 48 teams, but other tweaks to the schedule needed to be ironed out. FIFA <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/fifa-may-end-simultaneous-world-cup-group-stage-games-20221202-WST-410902.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">originally wanted the competition</a> to consist of 16 groups of three. This style would have seen the top two teams from each group advance to a 32-team knockout. However, the format will contain traditional groups of four.</p>



<h2>World Cup 2026 format means eight third-place teams advance</h2>



<p>There will be 12 groups of four teams. After the usual round-robin group stage, the top two teams automatically advance, like in years prior. However, the new addition is that the eight best third-place teams also advance. This is the same idea the European Championships adopted in 2016, just on a smaller scale.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">FIFA is set to approve changes for the 2026 men’s World Cup in North America.<br><br>—12 groups of 4 teams (rather than 16 three-team groups)<br><br>—104 games (rather than 80)<br><br>—Top 2 &amp; the 8 best 3rd-place teams go to R32<br><br>—Finalists will play 8 games (up from 7)<br><br>—Final: July 19 in the US <a href="https://t.co/O5cip4jj34">pic.twitter.com/O5cip4jj34</a></p>— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1635614618289676289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>FIFA officials apparently had a change of heart on the format after the success of the 2022 World Cup. The final group stage matches in Qatar were filled with drama and excitement. Groups of three teams would potentially make the opening stages less meaningful and thrilling.</p>



<p>Keeping the groups of four nations also takes out the possibility of situations like the ‘<a href="https://theathletic.com/3643998/2022/11/15/west-germany-austria-disgrace-of-gijon-world-cup/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Disgrace of Gijon</a>.’ During the 1982 World Cup in Spain, West Germany and Austria effectively agreed on a scoreline that would benefit both teams. The Germans won the match 1-0 and both nations qualified for the next round.</p>



<p>Allocation of host matches between the trio of North American countries will also have to be reset. Under the previous agreement, the United States was supposed to host 60 games, with Canada and Mexico each hosting 10 matches. However, with more fixtures added to the schedule, the US could now host 78 total World Cup games.</p>


FIFA organizers are set to announce the official 2026 World Cup format. The tournament will feature the most teams and games ever.

New World Cup 2026 format features record number of games

destacadas


<p><a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/">Major League Soccer</a> is supposedly looking into ways to change the playoff structure for next season. <a href="https:\/\/theathletic.com/3730955/2022/10/25/mls-considering-significant-overhaul-of-playoff-format-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Athletic</a> reports the league wants to add more teams, and thus significantly more games, to the playoff picture.</p>



<p>The current MLS playoff format consists of 14 teams. As the league has 28 total clubs at the moment, half of the teams actually advance to the playoffs. These 14 teams play a single-elimination tournament until a champion is crowned. This means that there are 13 total playoff matches for the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.</p>



<p>Beginning in 2023, the addition of <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/news/mls-2023-expansion-club-unveiled-as-st-louis-city-20200813-CMS-308092.html">St. Louis City SC</a> brings the total number of clubs in the league to 29. The aforementioned report suggests the league focuses on creating more playoff matchups. Sources told the outlet MLS wants to try to get to at least 30 postseason games next season.</p>



<p>While nothing is set in stone just yet, there have been suggestions on how the league can reach this number of games. Sixteen total teams qualify for the postseason under the proposed format. Therefore, more than half the MLS clubs make the playoffs. The consequence of this is a regular season that grows increasingly meaningless. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">MLS is considering big changes to its playoff format, sources tell me and <a href="https:\/\/twitter.com/MLSist?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MLSist</a>.<br><br>League weighing an increase from current total of 13 playoff games to ~30.<br><br>One potential avenue to get there? Shift to World Cup-style competition w/ 4 groups of 4 teams. <a href="https:\/\/t.co/sHkpz4AVAx">https:\/\/t.co/sHkpz4AVAx</a></p>— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) <a href="https:\/\/twitter.com/samstejskal/status/1585081910405267456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2022</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https:\/\/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2>MLS interested in a new playoff format</h2>



<p>These 16 clubs would be separated in half by conference. However, the single-elimination style would disappear. Instead, MLS places the teams into four groups of four teams each. Much like the World Cup, each team plays the other three clubs in its group once. Then, the top two teams from each group advance to a single-elimination knockout phase. This portion of the playoff structure mirrors the one currently in place.</p>



<p>If completed, MLS joins other American major sports leagues in expanding playoff structures. Although not always popular with fans, National Football League, Major League Baseball, and National Basketball Association all added more teams/games to their postseason schedules in recent years. The increased games leads to increased revenue for the league and its owners.</p>



<p>Any potential change to the MLS playoffs needs ownership approval. Discussions on the change surely take place at an MLS board of governors meeting next month.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire</em></p>


MLS is on the cusp of welcoming a new playoff format that increases the number of teams. It also resembles the World Cup at club level.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "format"

FIFA

New World Cup 2026 format features record number of games

Leagues: MLS

MLS eyes new playoff format for 2023