FIFA could change World Cup format in 2026

The Qatar World Cup already has football fans feeling some type of way, with the tournament set to commence in the winter.

Beer is also banned from stadiums, making it a new experience for several thousands of fans.

Now, according to The Sun, fans could be up for more changes in the 2026 edition that will happen in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Another 14 teams will be added to the current format. The 2026 World Cup was initially supposed to have 16 groups of three teams each where the top two sides qualify.

However, that could lead to a problem where teams play out draws just to go through to the next round. It's still possible in a group of four as well but not as easy to manage.

Football chiefs are now discussing reverting to 12 groups of four countries. The top two automatically qualify while the eight best third-placed sides battle it out for a spot.

Participating countries will play a total of 64 matches in Qatar this year but that could rise up to a whopping 104 games in 2026.

That would increase the time of the competition to 35 days instead of 28, making it tough for clubs and players across the world.

Source: The Sun