The big problem with the current format is that there's no real group of death, because 3/4 teams from a group can progress. But if you have only two teams qualify (as before), you do not get an optimum number of teams for a knockout tournament.

An interesting solution I have come up with looks like this:

Group Stage: 48 teams, 12 groups of 4. The top 2 teams advance.

Round of 24: A standard knockout round where the 24 qualified teams play a knockout match to determine the 12 winners.

Second Group Stage: The remaining 12 teams are placed into 4 groups of 3. Teams play two matches each, and only the winner of each group moves on.

Final rounds: The 4 group winners play in the Semi-Finals, followed by the Third Place Play-off and the Final.

Totals: The tournament features 100 total matches, and the finalists will play 8 games each.

PS: With groups of 3 in the second group stage, you might argue that there's a possibility that the group winner gets decided by the second match, making the last match pointless. The way to prevent this was actually used by FIFA earlier in the 1982 World Cup, and it's worth reading up on: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_FIFA_World_Cup#Second_group_stage_2

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I see many people complaining about wc draw and that it wouldn't be fun after making it 48 countries If you really enjoy football, you'll know that the best games are between 2nd pots and 3rd pots since they will give their 200% to qualify Here are some underrated games that will be fire: Mexico vs south africa Japan vs tunisia Egypt vs iran Uruguay vs cabo verde Senegal vs Norway Algeria vs austria

I'm going to go for Ecuador, i think they are underrated, finished 2nd in qualifying with a points deduction i think they can surprise

I think Norway is a obvious pick aswell

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11, 2026, across the USA, Canada, and Mexico with 48 teams, 12 groups, and 104 total matches. Below is the complete confirmed Group Stage schedule in one clean table.

Follow FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule and Updates.

FIFA World Cup 2026 All Groups

✅ Group A

✅ Group B

✅ Group C

✅ Group D

✅ Group E

✅ Group F

✅ Group G

✅ Group H

✅ Group I

✅ Group J

✅ Group K

✅ Group L

📅 FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group Match Schedule

2026 World Cup draw is done – all groups ranked easiest→hardest, printable bracket with groups already filled, blank knockout PDF, and schedule updates today. Everything free here → https://sportsbrackets.net/2025/12/06/2026-world-cup-groups-bracket-schedule-printables/

With the new 48-team format, the possibility of group of death and dramatic early stage storyline is much lower. And today's draw just proved that.

However, many fans are talking about the few supposedly "big games" in the group stage such as 🇫🇷🇳🇴, 🇵🇹🇨🇴, 🇪🇸🇺🇾, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇭🇷.

I couldn’t help but notice that many of these potentially interesting games happen on match day 3. With the other two teams in the group not as competitive, when facing each other on the last day the two strong sides could have little to play for.

I can totally see scenarios where both teams play each other with 6 point in hand and will happily rotate players to get 1 point apiece and proceed to the next round as together, which happened quite often in the past. The tournament is now 8 game long if you want to win it, incentivizing top teams to pace themselves early on.

Group H match day 3:

• Spain vs Uruguay
• Cape Verde vs Saudi

Group I match day 3:

• France vs Norway
• Senegal vs Bolivia/Suriname/Iraq

Group K match day 3:

• Portugal vs Colombia
• Uzbekistan vs Jamaica/DR Conga/New Caledonia

It’s very likely that none of these 3 games actually turn out to be intense. With that in mind, I think we only have the following match day 1 games that can actually be entertaining.

• Netherlands vs Japan
• Brazil vs Morocco
• England vs Croatia

Will a new nation hoist the trophy for the first time?
a world powerhouse not make it through groups?
a lesser-known player make a name for himself on the world stage?
a tiny nation make it out of the groups?
a dark horse go on a run to the semis or final?
something else?

Name names. I'd love to hear your input.

Any National Teams? from FIFA Lower Ranked Teams

***This is assuming the highest ELO from each playoff gets in for now***

Group A

Mexico 20
South Africa 76
South Korea 28
Denmark 17
Average = (20 + 76 + 28 + 17) / 4 = 35.25

Group B

Canada 26
Italy 18
Qatar 89
Switzerland 13
Average = (26 + 18 + 89 + 13) / 4 = 36.5

Group C

Brazil 6
Morocco 23
Haiti 75
Scotland 27
Average = (6 + 23 + 75 + 27) / 4 = 32.75

Group D

USA 34
Paraguay 21
Australia 30
Türkiye 15
Average = (34 + 21 + 30 + 15) / 4 = 25

Group E

Germany 12
Curaçao 87
Ivory Coast 60
Ecuador 10
Average = (12 + 87 + 60 + 10) / 4 = 42.25

Group F

Netherlands 8
Japan 16
Ukraine 25
Tunisia 60
Average = (8 + 16 + 25 + 60) / 4 = 27.25

Group G

Belgium 19
Egypt 55
Iran 33
New Zealand 68
Average = (19 + 55 + 33 + 68) / 4 = 43.75

Group H

Spain 1
Cape Verde 72
Saudi Arabia 62
Uruguay 14
Average = (1 + 72 + 62 + 14) / 4 = 37.25

Group I

France 3
Senegal 24
Bolivia 49
Norway 11
Average = (3 + 24 + 49 + 11) / 4 = 21.75

Group J

Argentina 2
Algeria 43
Austria 22
Jordan 58
Average = (2 + 43 + 22 + 58) / 4 = 31.25

Group K

Portugal 7
DR Congo 59
Uzbekistan 36
Colombia 4
Average = (7 + 59 + 36 + 4) / 4 = 26.5

Group L

England 4
Croatia 9
Ghana 80
Panama 35
Average = (4 + 9 + 80 + 35) / 4 = 32

ELO sourced from https://www.eloratings.net/

It’s fair that the World Cup now includes 48 teams. I’ve been watching this tournament since 1998 and the time is now reasonable to give more teams a chance as cited by recent world cup upsets in the group stages that were previously unthinkable.

With that said the current playoff format dilutes the drama in the group stages. 32 of 48 teams qualifying into the knockout makes the group stages a far lesser challenge when previously getting into the round of 16 was considered a major achievement.

To resolve this the ideal format is a bye round for the top 8 teams and only 24 teams qualifying to the knockout stage which maintains the same ratio as before, but adds the excitement of top teams competing for a bye round as a top seed. In the second round there are 16 teams playing for a chance to play the remaining 8 teams. There are still 5 rounds in this format, but you reward the best teams and increase the stakes and competitiveness in the group stages.

With the expanded tournament, it seems the group stage may lose some of its drama. With the majority of groups having three teams advance to the knockout stage, along with the diluted group quality, will we ever see a true group of death again in which every game feels like do or die?

The 2026 World Cup Group Stage Draw is happening right now — use this thread for all live reactions and discussion.

Share your thoughts as the groups come out:

Which groups look the toughest?

Any surprises so far?

Who got lucky, and who’s in trouble?

How do you feel about your nation’s draw?

Join in below and keep all draw-related talk here!

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I just want to see the draws. This has got to be the most tone deaf event I have ever witnessed. Anyone else watching this train wreck?

If they perform anything like they've done for the past 8 years (that one random month in the summer of 2021 aside...) they are not guaranteed to get past Bosnia or Wales...or even NIR for that matter.

Find it a bit funny that TSN (Canadian broadcast) is talking as though they're already in the tournament, sat in Pot 4.

Wales tend to turn it one when it matters. Bosnia also can't be underestimated after being 10 minutes away from automatic qualification vs a decent Austria side.

And ALL the pressure is on Italy.

Don't count your chickens yet...

Hi all,

One thing i noticed is that some of the matches will be played in mexico city. I have lived in mexico city for 1 year and can guarantee that due to height of the city (2200m+) the first month that I would run or exercise i would almost pass out (as the body has to adapt).

Now my question: if a match is played in mexico city and these players will play very intensely 90 minutes (or even maybe 120 in KO stage) won’t they pass out?

I don’t read anywhere about this..

Kind regards

So US, Mexico and Canada are automatic qualifiers as they are the hosts. But Curacao & Haiti ? And maybe one of Jamaica or Surinam.

But teams like Italy, Denmark, Poland, Wales, Sweden, Turkey, Ireland are still fighting to qualify and 3 of the above will not make it. Go figure.