FIFA approve 48-team expanded 2026 World Cup

The FIFA Council have voted unanimously to expand the World Cup to a 48-team format - with 16 groups of three - for the 2026 finals, which is likely to be held in North America.

 The 2026 FIFA World Cup will expand to 48 teams (Getty Images)

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will expand to 48 teams (Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

The world's biggest sporting event will be getting fifty percent bigger from 2026.

FIFA has announced football's World Cup will be made up of 48 teams, up from the present 32, from the 2026 tournament onwards.

The FIFA Council has voted unanimously for the change.

It's been on the horizon ever since the election of Gianni Infantino as FIFA president.

Mr Infantino made World Cup expansion a key plank of his bid to replace Sepp Blatter as president- an incentive in an organisation where 135 of the 211 member nations have never qualified for a World Cup.

The 48 teams will be split into 16 groups of three.

How many extra spots each continent gets as a result of the expansion should be known by May.

Critics contend adding sixteen extra teams will water down the tournament's prestige, no matter how much extra money it might bring in.



 








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Published 11 January 2017 9:11am
Updated 11 January 2017 3:54pm


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