A Bigger Tournament
Previous World Cups featured 32 teams, but the 2026 tournament includes 48 national teams, making it the largest World Cup ever.Instead of eight groups of four teams, the competition now has 12 groups with four teams each. The top two teams from every group, together with the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the Round of 32. From that point, the competition follows the traditional knockout stage until the final.
Because of the expansion, there will be 104 matches, compared with 64 in previous editions.
New Format at a Glance
⚽ FIFA World Cup 2026: New Rules
Think about these questions:
- Why do football authorities change the rules?
- What kinds of behaviour should result in a red card?
- How do players sometimes waste time?
- Do you think VAR has improved football?
- The new laws aim to:
a) make football longer
b) improve the game experience
c) reduce the number of teams
- Which tournament will first use these changes?
a) UEFA Champions League
b) Copa Libertadores
c) FIFA World Cup 2026
- One major objective of the new rules is to:
a) increase stoppages
b) reduce time wasting
c) eliminate VAR
- Who approved the changes?
a) UEFA
b) FIFA and IFAB
c) CONMEBOL
Listening again and say – True or False
- Covering your mouth during a confrontation may result in a red card. _____
- Players are allowed to leave the field in protest without punishment. _____
- Team officials who encourage players to leave the pitch can be sent off. _____
- Goalkeepers now have 10 seconds to take a goal kick. _____
- Delaying a goal kick can result in a corner kick for the opposing team. _____
- The same countdown rule applies to throw-ins. _____
- Substituted players must leave the field within 10 seconds. _____
- Injured players can immediately re-enter the game after treatment. _____
- VAR can review some mistakes involving second yellow cards. _____
- VAR can review clearly incorrect corner-kick decisions. _____