Argentinian national football team raise the trophy of World Cup 2022, the last tournament with 32 teams. (Photo: Reuters)

Aside from the top 2 teams in a group, 8 teams in third place with the best stats will be qualified for the knockout stage.

World Cup 2022 had 32 teams, 8 groups, and 64 matches played over 29 days. To enter the final, a team has to play 7 games, which has been the case since 1998.

The teams in the World Cup 2026’s final will have to play 8 games over 39 days.

The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, and will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the US.