The World Cup happening right now is the biggest in the tournament's history. For the first time it has 48 teams (up from 32), and for the first time a single edition is hosted by three countries at once — the United States, Canada, and Mexico. That's 104 matches crammed into 39 days, from 11 June to the final on 19 July 2026. For football fans this isn't a normal World Cup: the rules changed, the team count changed, and the door swung wider for underdogs.

Three things to know

  • 48 teams, not 32. The largest jump in the World Cup format in decades. More nations are in — including some that usually watch from home.
  • Three hosts in one tournament — a first. 16 host cities: 11 in the US, 3 in Mexico, 2 in Canada. Teams and fans genuinely move across borders.
  • 104 matches. Up from 64 under the old format. More football to watch — but also more travel and fatigue for players.

How does the new format work?

The 48 teams are split into 12 groups of 4. The top two from each group advance, plus the 8 best third-placed teams — making 32 teams in the knockout round of 32. From there it's a straight bracket to the final. Teams reaching the semifinals play 8 matches, one more than under the old format.

The point: more teams get a ticket, and one group-stage loss no longer means an automatic flight home. That's what makes this edition more "open" to nations that usually get squeezed out.

Why did this one feel close for Indonesia?

Because the 48-team format raised Asia's allocation to 8 direct slots plus 1 inter-confederation playoff slot — far more than before. More slots made qualifying feel realistic for more countries, Indonesia included.

Indonesia reached the fourth (final) round of Asian qualifying — their deepest run in the modern qualifying era. But the road ended there: in their group they lost 2–3 to Saudi Arabia and then 0–1 to Iraq, and ultimately did not qualify for the finals. So Indonesia isn't playing this year — yet "this close" had never happened before.

What's still debated

  • Does 48 teams dilute quality? Some observers worry about lopsided matches; others argue it gives new nations a stage. That's opinion, not a settled fact.
  • Player load. 104 matches plus long inter-city travel across three countries raise concerns about fatigue and injury. The real effect can only be judged after the tournament.
  • Numbers will change. Goals, attendance records, and final results are still in motion as this is written — check official sources for the latest scores.

Why this matters to you

If you only tune in for the final, it's easy to miss the context. Knowing the format explains why third-placed teams can still advance, why there are so many matches, and why this edition gets called the "most open" World Cup. Bonus: you won't fall for the nonsense claims floating around your feed about team counts or hosts.

Quick recall

Without scrolling up: how many teams are in the 2026 World Cup, and how many countries are hosting it? And how many third-placed teams also advance to the knockout round?

Try it out

Imagine explaining it to a friend who doesn't follow football: in three sentences, why is the 2026 edition called the "most open" compared to past World Cups? Use the numbers 48, 12 groups, and 8 third-placed teams to back your case.

Still curious?

  • How does FIFA pick the 8 best third-placed teams from 12 groups?
  • Why did Asia's allocation rise to 8+1 under the 48-team format?
  • What are the trade-offs of hosting across three countries at once?
  • How close did Indonesia actually get to the finals this time?

Sources