The president of the International Football Federation (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, said today that the organization will consider or at least re-discuss the format of the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, and assessed that the World Cup in Qatar was the best. “I have to say after this World Cup and the success of the group stage of four participating teams, we have to reconsider or discuss a new format, whether to go for 16 groups of three or 12 groups of four teams at the 2026 World Cup,” Infantino said on press conference in Doha, BBC reported.

It is planned that the 2026 World Cup will be played in a new format of 16 groups with three teams each, the best two of which will advance to the knockout phase.

Infantino stated that his second term as president will begin on March 16, since he had no opponents in the elections.

He pointed out that next year the World Club Championship will be held in Morocco, and that from 2025 there will be a change in the format of that competition, so 32 teams will participate every four years.

He also said that the Women’s Club World Cup will be held every fourth year, and that FIFA plans to organize friendly tournaments for national teams from different confederations in March in even years (2024, 2026 and beyond).

Speaking about the World Cup in Qatar, which ends on Sunday, Infantino said it was the best so far.

“The World Cup was an incredible success on all fronts. The main ones are the fans, the behavior, the joyful atmosphere, the gathering of people. The fans met the Arab world, it was very important for the future of all of us. When it comes to the matches, we saw incredible competitive matches, some surprises and some great goals,” he said.

“On average, each game was extended by 10 minutes. This was a fair World Cup on the field, without simulations, without many yellow and red cards. Congratulations go to the players and coaches who kept calm and of course to the referees,” added the president of the World Cup the house of football.