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At a recent event in Rwanda, FIFA said that the 2026 World Cup will have 104 games instead of 64 games like the past seven World Cups.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted in three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It will be the first World Cup with 48 teams playing in the tournament. Since 1998 there have been 32 teams and before that 24 teams.
Some people at FIFA wanted groups in the 2026 tournament to have three teams, but that idea was shot down. Like past World Cups, there will be groups of four teams, but there will be 12 groups instead of 8.
Traditionally, the top two teams from each group advance to the next stage of the tournament. However, the eight best third-place teams will also advance to the next stage in the 2026 edition.
FIFA says that the format with groups of four teams reduces the chance that teams will cheat by working together. It also makes sure that teams get enough time to rest between their matches.
FIFA also says that there will be a 32-team Club World Cup every four years starting in June 2025. The best club teams from around the world will meet at a neutral venue.
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) is worried that players will be too tired and stressed from too many games in a short time.
The CEO of the PFA, Maheta Molango, said that the football schedule needs to be completely changed. The World Cup in 2026 will have even more games, which makes the schedule even more crowded.
Vocabulary
- Instead of – rather than; in place of; “not that, but something else”; substitute; alternative
- Past – previous; former; prior; the last; recent
- Host – to organize or hold an event; provide space for an event
- Tournament – a contest or competition with only one winner after many games/rounds
- Shoot down – to prevent it from being accepted; to end or destroy someone’s proposal/idea; to criticize someone’s ideas or suggestions
- Traditionally – according to what has usually happened in the past; the usual way; how it’s been for a long time or how many people do it
- Top – the highest point or rank; the best
- Advance – to move forward or progress; to go to the next stage; to continue
- Stage – a section/part of a journey, race, competition or process; phase; step; level
- Place – position or rank in a competition/tournament; 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, etc.
- Format – the arrangement; general plan of organization; a method of organizing something; style
- Reduce – to make less; make smaller; decrease; bring down; shrink
- Chance(s) – a possibility of something happening; odds;
- Cheat – to break rules; behave dishonestly; use unfair methods to get something you want; to lie
- Club team – a team that plays in a sports league; not a national or Olympic team
- Neutral – to not support one side/team in a conflict, competition, or disagreement; to not show/express strong feelings or emotion for something; doesn’t favor, help or support something/someone
- Venue – an event location; the place an event is held
- Worry – to be/feel concerned or nervous; to be troubled; to think a lot about a negative situation
- Stressed – anxious; feeling overwhelmed; under pressure; uncomfortable; nervous; tense; bothered
- CEO (Chief Executive officer) – the top person in a large company; president; boss
- Crowded – a lot of people or things in a small space
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- What do you think about the decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams? Will it affect the quality of the tournament?
- What impact do you think the increased number of games will have on players and their performance? What about the impact on the players’ careers or personal lives?
- What’s your opinion of hosting the World Cup in three large countries? How should FIFA decide which country or countries hosts the World Cup?
Original Story
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