- Alternative plan for 12 groups of four would result in 104 games
- US, Mexico and Canada World Cup will be first 48-team event
World Cup organisers are increasingly open to discarding the new three-team group format for the 2026 tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada. It comes amid concerns that too many dead rubbers in the last round of matches could dilute the expanded 48-team event.
Although Fifa’s official position remains unaltered, multiple sources have told the Guardian there have been “informal talks” and “corridor chats” here in Doha about the benefits of going with 12 groups of four teams rather than 16 groups of three.
