Behind the scenes, Ralph is working hard every day to update the statistics, implement improvements, and fix bugs. We truly appreciate your patience and the valuable feedback you continue to provide.
He changed a lot since this thing started, and we will see how it looks like in the end.
For the first time, 48 teams will participate in the tournament. In the preliminary round (group stage), they will be divided into 12 groups of four teams each. In every group, each team plays against the others once, which results in exactly six matches per group (12 groups x 6 matches = 72 matches).
Total Number of Matches#
This expanded format also significantly increases the overall number of matches in the tournament. A total of 104 matches will be played at the 2026 World Cup. After the 72 group stage matches, the first and second-placed teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the newly introduced knockout round (the Round of 32). From there, the tournament will continue in the familiar knockout system all the way to the final.
Bitcoin_Sepp · Jun 17, 2026