Jun 24, 2026
The round of 32 is the 48-team World Cup’s great unknown
The 2026 World Cup is about to enter a round of 32, a knockout phase no men’s tournament has staged before. Here is how the new format works and what...
World Cup format
3 articles tagged with "World Cup format"
Jun 19, 2026
The World Cup’s new third-place safety net is already catching the big names
Mexico are already through, but this World Cup’s new eight-team third-place route is quietly reshaping how the big sides think about qualifying.
Jun 2, 2026
The World Cup just got much bigger, and that is not the same as better
The 2026 World Cup will be the first with 48 teams, 104 matches and a brand new round of 32, spread across three countries. It is the most ambitious f...