Frequently Asked Questions
The questions readers ask us most about the 2026 World Cup, the new format and how the live data on this site works.
Why does the 2026 World Cup have 48 teams instead of 32?+
FIFA approved the expansion in January 2017 to widen access to the tournament for confederations historically under-represented in the finals. The eight-team increase adds 16 places spread across Africa, Asia, CONCACAF and Oceania, and adds 24 extra matches to the schedule.
How does the new Round of 32 work?+
The top two from each of the 12 groups advance automatically (24 teams). They're joined by the eight best third-placed teams ranked across all 12 groups using points → goal difference → goals scored → fair-play points. Those 32 teams play single-leg knockout matches; the 16 winners advance to the traditional Round of 16.
What happens if two teams finish a group level on every tiebreaker?+
FIFA's regulations end with a drawing of lots by the Organising Committee — literally pulling team names out of a pot. In practice this has never decided a finalist's qualification fate at a World Cup; the goal-difference and head-to-head tiebreakers have always separated teams in time.
Why is the Final at MetLife Stadium and not Estadio Azteca?+
Capacity. MetLife's 82,500 tournament-mode capacity is the second largest of any host stadium, and FIFA awards the Final to a venue based on a weighted combination of capacity, broadcast facilities, training infrastructure and proximity to a major international hub. Azteca was awarded the opening match instead, returning the symbolic curtain-raiser to where the World Cup has its longest history.
Are the United States, Mexico and Canada automatically qualified?+
Yes. All three host nations qualify automatically and occupy three of the 48 places. CONCACAF (their confederation) was allocated six total qualifying slots for 2026, so three further CONCACAF teams qualify through the regional qualifying tournament.
Why does this site show TBD for some venues?+
Group stage venues are fixed in advance. Knockout-round venues are only confirmed once the teams playing each tie are known, which happens at the end of the previous round. The live data feed shows the venue as soon as FIFA publishes it. If you see TBD on a knockout match, the previous round hasn't finished yet.
How often does the live scoreboard update?+
Every 30 seconds during live play. The feed comes from football-data.org and includes match status (UPCOMING, LIVE, HT, FT), the current minute for in-progress matches, and the live score. Group standings on this site recalculate from the result feed in your browser, so they reflect the latest score the moment a match ends.
Can I export the wallchart or share predictions?+
The full-screen wallchart is shareable directly via its URL and renders cleanly when printed to PDF from any modern browser. The What-If calculator on the homepage stores your hypothetical scores in your browser only — nothing is uploaded — and you can copy the URL after making changes to share your scenario with a friend.