The 2026 World Cup will expand to 48 teams and 104 matches, generating huge revenue but being criticized for reducing the quality of the competition and increasing the burden on players, while FIFA says the revenue will be put back to support the 211 member associations.
The 2026 World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, has become the largest football tournament ever. The number of participating nations has expanded to 48 teams, with a total of 104 matches scheduled, significantly more than the number of games in the past.
The expansion from 32 to 48 is the second major format change since the tournament's inception in 1930, when it first had just 13 teams and 18 matches. An expansion in 1998 from 24 to 32 teams under then FIFA president Sepp Blatter brought it to 64 matches, and that format has endured until the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
FIFA has stated that the financial dimension of stadium expansion is the main driver. Because more teams means more matches. More broadcast channels and increased sponsor space Including distributing matches to different cities and stadiums. in three host countries, which helps generate ticket revenue. travel and local economic activities
The financial figures clearly reflect the scale of the tournament, with FIFA expected to generate total revenue of around $11 billion. Broadcasting revenue will be approximately $3.9 billion. This is an increase of around 30 percent compared to the 2022 World Cup, according to football business expert Simon Chadwick.
Ticket prices also change greatly. Compared to the cheapest price for the 2022 World Cup, which starts at around $55, the price for equivalent seats in 2026 has risen to around $560. FIFA points out that "supporter entry tier" tickets are available for around $60, but they account for only about 10 percent of each nation's quota.
FIFA's management, headed by President Gianni Infantino, defended the approach. It emphasizes that its non-profit status and World Cup revenues are reinvested into the 211 member associations, while critics warn that expanding stadiums could compromise the quality of the competition. There was an unbalanced match between the top team and the new team. It also increases the workload problem of players who have tight club schedules throughout the year.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin also expressed concern over the proposal to expand the stadium to 64 teams for the 2030 World Cup, calling the idea a "disaster". It was called a "bad idea", reflecting wider concerns that the tournament was expanding too quickly.
The history of the World Cup's number of matches has shown steady growth, from 18 matches initially, to 26 matches in 1954, and to 32 matches in 1970. The 1974 tournament had 38 matches, and in 1982 it increased to 52 matches, before the 64-match format was in use from 1998 for a long time.
Meanwhile, CONMEBOL, the South American football confederation, has officially proposed expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, according to Uruguayan Football Association leader Ignacio Alonso. If that happens, the 2030 World Cup will have as many as 128 matches, more than double the number of matches in 2026, and will create major logistical questions. Especially when it's a centenary tournament that will be played across six countries on three continents.
All in all, the 2026 World Cup is a major step forward in the scale of the tournament. Both in terms of trade opportunities and participation from various national associations. But it also opens up important issues regarding competitive balance. Player scheduling flexibility and the impact on fans from increasing ticket prices and spreading matches across multiple cities.
