FIFA announced a new format for the 2026 World Cup which will see an expanded tournament with 48 teams. The new blueprint for the event will see a 104 matches taking place, a huge rise compared to the 64 games played in the 2022 tournament. The new format also means the top two in each group will go through to the knockout round, along with the eight best third-placed sides. While the duration of the North American tournament is not yet known, participants will be joining their squads on 25 May for a shortened preparation period. The number of venues will double in 2026 from 8 stadiums in Qatar to 16, of which 11 will be in the United States, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada. The final will take place on Sunday 19 July in one of the 16 cities still to be determined.