World Cup 2026 & 2030

[zudomiriku]

World Cup madness: 48 countries, 16 groups (yes, that's 3 teams in each) and penalty shoot-outs in group matches... FIFA chiefs vote for bloated new format

* FIFA Council have unanimously approved a World Cup of 48 teams
* The tournament currently has 32 sides in eight groups of four
* From 2026, the competition will have 16 groups of three teams

The FIFA Council have unanimously approved a 48-team World Cup from 2026 at a vote in Zurich.

The plans overseen by president Gianni Infantino mean the tournament will now begin with 16 groups of three teams, with the top two advancing into a 32 team knock-out stage.

Infantino has previously suggested FIFA could introduce penalty shoot-outs after group matches that end in a draw in order to stop teams playing for a result that favours them both.


How the World Cup will look from 2026 after FIFA agreed to increase the number of teams

There will be a total of 80 games under the new format. Currently, in the 32-team schedule, 64 matches are played overall.

But if a team finishes in the last four in the 2026 tournament, they will have played seven matches, the same number as a 32-team World Cup.

There were also options for the 37-member FIFA Council to vote for a 40-team tournament, with 10 groups of four or eight groups of five, but the only other 48-team proposal saw a 32-team one-game knockout round with the winners joining 16 already-qualified teams.

European places at the competition will likely rise from 13 to 16. Africa and Asia could have as many as nine teams each. At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil they had five and four teams respectively. FIFA could decide by May how many entries each continent has.

The other major decision regarding 2026 - who will host the event - is not scheduled for consideration until 2020 with a bid featuring the United States, either on its own or in conjunction with one or both of Canada and Mexico, an early favourite.

Extra teams also means increased revenue for FIFA. Their research suggests that an expanded tournament would rake in an additional £521million profit on the current format.

They have calculated that tournament revenue would increase to £5.29billion with 48 teams, working on the projected revenue of next year's 32-team World Cup in Russia.

Infantino's expansion plans, which he made public during his election campaign to replace the disgraced Sepp Blatter as president, have been fiercely criticised by the European Club Association (ECA) but have been backed by the likes of Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho and Argentina icon Diego Maradona.

The ECA, of which Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and United are all members, said in a statement reacting to the news on Tuesday: 'The European Club Association reiterates that it is in principle not in favour of an expanded World Cup.

'We fail to see the merits to changing the current format of 32 that has proven to be the perfect formula from all perspectives. Questionable is also the urgency in reaching such an important decision, with nine years to go until it becomes applicable, without the proper involvement of stakeholders who will be impacted by this change.

'We understand that this decision has been taken based on political reasons rather than sporting ones and under considerable political pressure, something ECA believes is regrettable.

'ECA will analyse in detail the impact and the consequences of the new format and will address the matter at the next meeting of its executive board scheduled for the end of January.'


But Mourinho and Maradona have previously spoken of their belief that there are many positives to the alterations.


Mourinho said: 'I'm totally in favour. As a club manager, if the expansion meant more games, less holidays and less pre-season for players, I would say no.

'It's important for critics to analyse and understand that expansion doesn't mean more matches. Players are protected and clubs are protected in this way. Teams with less potential and experience will probably play two matches and go home.

'But they would do so having improved and gained experience on the pitch, which would be added to the economic rewards of appearing at the finals - including further investment in their footballing infrastructure.'

Maradona said: 'I'm delighted by Gianni's initiative because it gives chances to teams that otherwise would start the qualifiers knowing they had no chance of getting to the World Cup.

'It gives each country the dream and it renews the passion for football, it appears to me to be a fantastic idea.'

WORLD CUP Q&A

Q: How exactly will the group stages work?

Each team plays twice in their three-team group. The top two advance into the last 32, which will be a knock-out stage.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has hinted that group matches ending in a draw could be decided by a penalty shoot-out, in order to stop sides playing for a result in a game to favour them both.

Q: What other impact will 48 teams have on the tournament?

More teams means more games. 80 matches will take place at the 2026 World Cup, as opposed to the current total of 64. However, if a team finishes in the last four, they will have played seven matches, the same total as with the current format.

FIFA have also estimated that their profits would rise by around £520million with the expansion.

Q: Where will the 2026 World Cup be held?

It is not known where the tournament will be played yet, but with Asia and Europa barred from bidding as they host the next two events, the United States are expected to make an offer. They could either be sole bidders, or come forward with a joint proposal alongside Mexico or Canada.

With 48 teams naming squads of 23, there will be 1,104 players heading to the 2026 World Cup. That, and the increased number of fans that will travel to watch the competition which takes place once every four years, are all factors which will favour larger countries, such as the United States, hosting the tournament.

Q: Why did president Infantino want the World Cup expanded?

Infantino vowed to increase the number of teams competing in the showpiece event when he was campaigning to replace his disgraced predecessor, Sepp Blatter, at the helm of FIFA.

His proposal appealed to more of the 211 FIFA members, many of whom do not reach the tournament. Infantino initially spoke of increasing the number of competitors to 40, before raising it again to 48.

Confederations outside of Europe have felt disadvantaged with entries to the World Cup for many years.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-4104944/FIFA-announce-48-team-World-Cup-start-2026-idea-receives-unanimous-approval.html

[zudomiriku]

Three hosts and 48 teams... USA, Canada and Mexico on pole to host FIFA's bloated showpiece

* The extended 48-team World Cup is set to be staged in three countries
* USA, Canada and Mexico are on pole to get the World Cup in 2026
* Penalty shootouts may also be introduced to decide group-stage matches
* The format will be 16 groups of three with the top two progressing

The extended 48-country World Cup in 2026 is set to be staged in three countries for the first time, with the USA sharing the tournament with Canada and Mexico.

The FIFA council made a unanimous decision on Tuesday to increase the tournament by 16 countries, while a three-way hosting was described as a 'definite possibility'.

Penalty shootouts may also be introduced to decide group-stage matches and avoid teams playing out a draw in the final round of games to ensure both progress. The format will be 16 groups of three with the top two progressing to a knockout round of 32.


FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced the plans for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday

The tournament would still be completed in 32 days, with four matches daily during the group stage. The finalists will still play seven games in total.

The USA are favourites to be awarded the 2026 event, but could co-host it with Canada and Mexico while still staging the lion's share of the 80 games.

Canadian Victor Montagliani, the CONCACAF president, said he hoped 'football would trump politics — no pun intended' in the USA being happy to share the global event with Mexico despite the incoming US President's desire to build a giant wall on the border.

Montagliani said: 'A USA-Canada-Mexico World Cup in 2026 is definitely a possibility because the rules now allow for it and it is an opportunity for CONCACAF.

'In some regions co-hosting not only makes more sense but is the only sense. It's not just the 48 teams, it's the training facilities and all the other infrastructure that's required.'

Germany have been the one country to oppose the expansion that allows FIFA president Gianni Infantino to deliver on his election pledge. The FA, whose representative David Gill did not attend because of commitments in Australia, were resigned to it, knowing it had the support of a majority of the FIFA council.

Montagliani added: 'This decision was done on the facts and figures, not a wink and a nod. Maybe the time has come when we don't do things on winks and nods any more. There was no opposition — period.'

Infantino said: 'Many countries will be very happy. We need to shape the World Cup for the 21st century. There is more to football now than Europe and South America.'

No promises had been made about allocations of places, although every confederation will receive an increase.

A UEFA statement said: 'It was clear all the other confederations were overwhelmingly in favour of expanding the World Cup. As a result, UEFA decided to join in supporting the new format.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-4107536/Three-hosts-48-teams-USA-Canada-Mexico-pole-host-FIFA-s-bloated-showpiece.html

[zudomiriku]

USA, Mexico and Canada preparing joint bid to host 2026 World Cup, says CONCACAF chief Victor Montagliani

* Russia and Qatar are hosting next two World Cups but 2026 is still up for grabs
* USA, Mexico and Canada are expected to make a joint bid to host 48-team event
* CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani revealed countries will finalise bid


Mexico, Canada and the USA are set to finalise their joint bid to host the 2026 World Cup, according to the CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani.

The 23rd edition of the competition will be the first to feature 48 teams, and the North American bid is currently the overwhelming favourite in the early stages.

Speaking to the Guardian about the potential bid, CONCACAF chief Montagliani said: 'Canada, the US and Mexico are aiming for a joint bid, the idea has been around for a while, discussions are continuing and it is a very exciting proposition if it comes to fruition.


If the World Cup returns to America, it is likely the 94,000 capacity Rose Bowl would be used

'We have had nothing but positive remarks about it and it is a very strong sign of what football can do to bring countries together.'

Given the current tension between America and Mexico over Donald Trump's potential wall to divide the two nations, some believe Montagliani's words were very deliberate.

When asked whether he referred to the Trump controversy with his comments about bringing countries together, he said football should rise above political regimes.

'It behoves football and leaders of football to deal with it and rise above it,' he said.

Given the larger format of the 2026 tournament, it is likely a three-country partnership would work well, with wider access to large stadiums.

Each country individually would be able to host the tournament, but a joint bid is likely to impress the FIFA decision-makers.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4388638/USA-Mexico-Canada-preparing-bid-host-2026-World-Cup.html

[zudomiriku]

Bureau of the Council recommends slot allocation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup




The Bureau of the FIFA Council – comprised of the FIFA President and the presidents of each of the six confederations – convened this Thursday at the Home of FIFA in Zurich and agreed on a proposed slot allocation for the FIFA World Cup™ as of the 2026 edition.

The recommendation will now be submitted for the ratification of the FIFA Council, whose next meeting is scheduled for 9 May in Manama, Bahrain, two days prior to the 67th FIFA Congress.

After 10 January, when the FIFA Council unanimously decided on expanding the FIFA World Cup to a 48-team competition, FIFA, the confederations and the Member Associations engaged in a consultation process, which resulted in the proposal recommended by the Bureau of the Council. According to this proposal, the split of direct berths is as follows:

Slot allocation*

· AFC: 8 direct slots

· CAF: 9 direct slots

· CONCACAF: 6 direct slots

· CONMEBOL: 6 direct slots

· OFC: 1 direct slot

· UEFA: 16 direct slots

* The host country would also automatically qualify for the FIFA World Cup, and its slot would be taken from the quota of its confederation. In the event of co-hosting, the number of host countries to qualify automatically would be decided by the FIFA Council.

Play-off tournament for two remaining slots

The above allocation accounts for 46 of the 48 participating teams. The proposal reviewed by the Bureau of the Council includes a play-off tournament involving six teams to decide the last two FIFA World Cup berths:

- One team per confederation with the exception of UEFA + one additional team from the confederation of the host country;

- Two teams to be seeded based on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. The seeded teams will play for a FIFA World Cup berth against the winners of the first two knockout games involving the four unseeded teams;

- Tournament to be played in the host country(ies) and to be used as a test event for the FIFA World Cup;

- Existing play-off window of November 2025 suggested as tentative date for the 2026 edition.

http://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/news/y=2017/m=3/news=bureau-of-the-council-recommends-slot-allocation-for-the-2026-fifa-wor-2878254.html?cid=newsletter_en_20170406_newsid

[Andi Istiabudi]

Eventnya masih 10 tahun lagi nih, semoga kita semua panjang umur bisa menyaksikannya dalam keadaan sehat wal-afiat dan siapa tahu timnas Indonesia bisa lolos dan tampil di ajang ini. Amiiiiinnnn.

Oiya tahun 2026 juga bertepatan dengan perayaan 20 tahun United Indonesia yach ? Hehe..

[zudomiriku]

North America World Cup 2026 bid receives 41 applications from cities in USA, Mexico and Canada to host ties

* North American bid committee said its proposal will be sent to FIFA in March
* The final bid will include 25 cities with at least 12 ultimately selected by FIFA
* FIFA intends to vote on the hosts next June with Morocco also set to make a bid
* The World Cup 2026 tournament will be the first to have a 48-nation field

Forty-one cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada have submitted preliminary bids to host 2026 World Cup matches.

The North American bid committee said Thursday its proposal will be sent to FIFA in March. The bid is expected to include up to 25 cities. At least 12 cities would ultimately be selected if the FIFA Congress picks the joint bid when it votes in June 2018.

The 2026 World Cup will be the first with a 48-nation field. Morocco said it also intends to bid.


The World Cup could be heading to North America following the 2022 tournament in Qatar

Three sites were dropped from the preliminary list announced last month: Calgary, Alberta; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and San Diego.

Just three stadiums that bid hosted games during the 1994 World Cup: Chicago's Soldier Field, Dallas' Cotton Bowl and Orlando, Florida's Camping World Stadium, formerly known as the Citrus Bowl. Soldier Field underwent a gut renovation in 2002-03.


The brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Baltimore is included on the long lists of stadiums


Soldier Field in Chicago is one of just three on the list to have hosted World Cup 1994 matches

Two of the sites on the list hosted matches at the 1994 at stadiums that have been replaced with new venues on adjacent land: East Rutherford, New Jersey; and Foxborough; Massachusetts.

Stadiums are required to have at least 40,000 seats for group-stage matches and at least 80,000 for the opening game and final.

Thirty-two areas and 35 stadiums are on the list for the U.S. Canada has six cities and Mexico three. Three stadiums were submitted from the Los Angeles area and two from the Dallas area.

The U.S. would host 60 of 80 games, including all from the quarter-finals on.

WORLD CUP 2026 STADIUM BIDS

UNITED STATES

Arlington, Texas, AT&T Stadium; Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium; Baltimore, M&T Bank Stadium; Birmingham, Alabama, Legion Field; Charlotte, North Carolina, Bank of America Stadium; Chicago, Soldier Field; Cincinnati, Paul Brown Stadium; Cleveland, FirstEnergy Stadium; Dallas, Cotton Bowl; Denver, Sports Authority Field; Detroit, Ford Field; East Rutherford, New Jersey, MetLife Stadium; Foxborough, Massachusetts; Glendale, Arizona, University of Phoenix Stadium; Houston, NRG Stadium; Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium; Inglewood, California, LA Stadium at Hollywood Park; Jacksonville, Florida, EverBank Field; Kansas City, Missouri, Arrowhead Stadium; Landover, Maryland, FedEx Field; Las Vegas, Raiders stadium under construction; Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; Miami, Hard Rock Stadium; Minneapolis, U.S. Bank Stadium; Nashville, Tennessee, Nissan Stadium; New Orleans, Superdome; Orlando, Florida, Camping World Stadium; Pasadena, California, Rose Bowl; Philadelphia, Lincoln Financial Field; Pittsburgh, Heinz Field; Salt Lake City, Rice-Eccles Stadium; San Antonio, Alamodome; Santa Clara, California, Levi's Stadium; Seattle, CenturyLink Field; Tampa, Florida, Raymond James Stadium.

CANADA

Edmonton, Alberta, Commonwealth Stadium; Montreal, Olympic Stadium; Ottawa, Ontario, TD Place; Regina, Saskatchewan, Mosaic Stadium; Toronto, BMO Field; Vancouver, British Columbia, BC Place.

MEXICO

Guadalajara, Estadio Chivas; Mexico City, Estadio Azteca; Monterrey, Estadio Rayados.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4863740/World-Cup-2026-41-cities-apply-North-America-bid.html

[Andi Istiabudi]

Originally Posted by zudomiriku

North America World Cup 2026 bid receives 41 applications from cities in USA, Mexico and Canada to host ties

* North American bid committee said its proposal will be sent to FIFA in March
* The final bid will include 25 cities with at least 12 ultimately selected by FIFA
* FIFA intends to vote on the hosts next June with Morocco also set to make a bid
* The World Cup 2026 tournament will be the first to have a 48-nation field

Forty-one cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada have submitted preliminary bids to host 2026 World Cup matches.

The North American bid committee said Thursday its proposal will be sent to FIFA in March. The bid is expected to include up to 25 cities. At least 12 cities would ultimately be selected if the FIFA Congress picks the joint bid when it votes in June 2018.

The 2026 World Cup will be the first with a 48-nation field. Morocco said it also intends to bid.


The World Cup could be heading to North America following the 2022 tournament in Qatar

Three sites were dropped from the preliminary list announced last month: Calgary, Alberta; Green Bay, Wisconsin; and San Diego.

Just three stadiums that bid hosted games during the 1994 World Cup: Chicago's Soldier Field, Dallas' Cotton Bowl and Orlando, Florida's Camping World Stadium, formerly known as the Citrus Bowl. Soldier Field underwent a gut renovation in 2002-03.


The brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Baltimore is included on the long lists of stadiums


Soldier Field in Chicago is one of just three on the list to have hosted World Cup 1994 matches

Two of the sites on the list hosted matches at the 1994 at stadiums that have been replaced with new venues on adjacent land: East Rutherford, New Jersey; and Foxborough; Massachusetts.

Stadiums are required to have at least 40,000 seats for group-stage matches and at least 80,000 for the opening game and final.

Thirty-two areas and 35 stadiums are on the list for the U.S. Canada has six cities and Mexico three. Three stadiums were submitted from the Los Angeles area and two from the Dallas area.

The U.S. would host 60 of 80 games, including all from the quarter-finals on.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4863740/World-Cup-2026-41-cities-apply-North-America-bid.html

Saya pribadi sih cenderung Kanada karena selain kondisi sosial politik negaranya relatif stabil serta ekonomi yang baik, Piala Dunia juga bisa sebagai ajang untuk lebih mempopulerkan sepakbola Kanada ke seluruh dunia. Lagipula Amerika dan Meksiko kan sudah pernah jadi boleh lah ganti suasana, hehehe...

[zudomiriku]

England receive surprise backing from Germany for 2030 World Cup bid

* The FA have received the backing of Germany to host the 2030 World Cup
* The surprise endorsement from their rivals comes without any negotiations
* There is still no decision by the FA about whether to put their hat in the ring

The FA have remarkably received the backing of arch rivals Germany for England to host the 2030 World Cup — without any negotiations.

There is still no decision by the FA, still bruised from the 2018 bid debacle, about whether to put their hat in the ring for 2030, when the World Cup is expected to be staged in Europe again.

Yet German federation president Reinhard Grindel announced at the official function before the international friendly on Friday that his country would fully support England as the UEFA candidate.


The FA have received the backing of Germany for England to host the 2030 World Cup

This premature endorsement is all the more surprising considering the history of tournament bidding rivalry between the nations, including the disputed gentlemen's agreement that the FA would support Germany for the 2006 World Cup in return for their backing around Euro 96 — the last big football tournament held here.

The FA welcomed Germany's support over 2030, but there is going to be no reciprocal backing for their ambition to host the Euros in 2024.

Also in England's corner for 2030 is UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, who wants only one candidate from Europe and strongly believes that it is England's turn.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5075589/England-recieve-backing-Germany-2030-World-Cup.html

[Andi Istiabudi]

Semoga kita semua panjang umur dan sehat wal-afiat sehingga bisa menyaksikan Piala Dunia terus