FIFA looks set to revise plans to introduce three-team groups for the 2026 World Cup, world football chief Gianni Infantino said yesterday. FIFA had previously indicated that the 2026 finals, which will expand to 48 teams from 32, would see countries divided into 16 groups of three during the first round.
Under that format, the top two teams in each group would advance to a 32-team knockout tournament. However, FIFA president Infantino said the thrilling success of the existing first-round format at the Qatar World Cup – where teams were divided into traditional groups of four – had prompted a rethink.
Several groups in Qatar went down to the wire, with qualification hanging in the balance until the final whistle. “The groups of four have been absolutely incredible until the last minute of the last match,” Infantino told a press conference in Doha. “We have to revisit or at least rediscuss the format, whether it’s 16 groups of three or 12 groups of four. This is something that will be on the agenda in the next few weeks.”
Infantino added that the World Cup format for 2026 could be modelled along the lines of the European Championship, which has six groups of four, with the four best third-placed teams also advancing to the knockout rounds. The 2026 World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Infantino said the enlarged competition would lead to a financial bonanza for FIFA. Revenues in the four-year cycle leading up to 2026 are projected to increase to $11bn – up from $7.5bn in the cycle ending in 2022. Asked to explain the huge projected increase in revenues, Infantino cited the expanded number of teams, existing stadium infrastructure and the size of the North American market.
“We are bullish about the power of football,” Infantino said. “We are convinced the impact of the game will be massive. It has been massive here and it will be incredible in North America. Three huge countries, 48 teams. More games, revenues will go up in terms of broadcasting, in terms of sponsorship, hospitality. We will play in huge stadiums used for American football, 80-90,000 capacity. We are expecting 5.5 million fans travelling for these events.”
Meanwhile, FIFA chief announced plans for a 32-team Club World Cup from 2025, despite reported opposition from Europe’s biggest clubs. An expansion of the competition has long been a pet project of Infantino’s. A 24-team event, featuring eight sides from Europe, was planned for 2021 in China but was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Infantino said the new-look tournament would be even bigger than first planned. “We had agreed a few years ago to have a new 24-team men’s Club World Cup,” the FIFA president. “It should have taken place in 2021 but was postponed because of Covid. The new competition will take place in 2025 and will feature 32 teams, making it really like a World Cup.”
Reports in the British media this week said European clubs had rejected FIFA’s proposal to launch the new-look competition. The plans are for an expanded tournament to be held every four years instead of annually, as is the case for the current seven-team event.
“The first edition will take place in 2025 in the summer and during that slot where in past years it was the Confederations Cup,” Infantino said. “It will be slightly longer because there will be 32 teams but they will be the best teams in the world who will be invited to participate.”
Infantino said next year’s Club World Cup, in its current format, would take place in Morocco from February 1 to 11, 2023.
Morocco hosted the tournament in 2013 and again in 2014, while the most recent edition was held in the United Arab Emirates in February, with Chelsea lifting the trophy.
The 2023 tournament is set to continue in its existing format – up until now it has featured the six continental champions plus the top side from the host nation. Real Madrid will represent Europe after winning last season’s UEFA Champions League. Flamengo of Brazil, Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, Seattle Sounders from the United States and New Zealand’s Auckland City are the other current continental champions.