David GOMBE
FIFA will approve the expansion of the men’s World Cup with 40 more games from the 2026 Showpiece in USA, Canada and Mexico.
The development will be approved today at a meeting of the governing body’s ruling council in Kigali, Rwanda.
The decision to expand from 64 to 104 matches rather than the 80 matches planned in 2026 will be approved at a meeting.
The new development means that the 2026 edition in North America will have 12 groups each with four countries rather than having 16 groups each featuring three teams.
The top two teams will advance to a round of 32 with the eight best third-placed teams.
Finalists at the 2026 Showpiece will play eight matches rather than the seven played by both Champions Argentina and France in Qatar.
The 2026 World Cup will not only have more countries but will also be the biggest and longest.
The final in the United States is scheduled for on Sunday, 19 July 2026.
Meanwhile, the FIFA President Gianni Infantino will be re-elected unopposed on Thursday at the FIFA Congress that will have all the 211 member nations in Kigali for his second full term.
