FIFA votes to expand World Cup competition to 48 teams

The FIFA Council on 10 January 2017 unanimously voted to expand the FIFA World Cup to a 48-team competition.

At the 3rd meeting at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on 9 and 10 January 2017, the council decided on a new tournament format with the 48 national teams split into 16 groups of three teams. The top two teams from each group will then move forward to a 32-team knockout stage.

Key highlights of the new format

• The new format is set to be introduced in the year 2026.

• There will be no reduction in the overall number of rest days and a guaranteed maximum of seven matches for the teams reaching the final.

• The council zeroed in on the decision following a thorough analysis, based on a report that included four different format options.

• The study looked onto factors such as sporting balance, competition quality, infrastructure, impact on football development, the consequences for event delivery and the projections on financial position.

• The FIFA Council had already discussed the scenarios to expand the competition format of the FIFA World Cup at its meeting in October 2016.

• The council had also set out a set of principles for countries to bid for the right to host the 2026 edition. At present, the process is scheduled to culminate in May 2020.

About FIFA

• The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the international governing body of association football, futsal and beach soccer.

• It is responsible for the organisation of football's major international tournaments. It organises notably the World Cup and the Women's World Cup.

• It was founded in 1904.

• Its aim is to oversee international competition among the national associations of Switzerland, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Sweden, and Belgium.

• It is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.