World Cup 2026 groups: A look at the teams in the expanded tournament

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will be the largest in history with 48 participating teams. This expansion has necessitated a significant format change, introducing 12 groups of four teams each for the initial stage.

Each group will feature a seeded team, determined by the FIFA rankings. The three host nations and the nine highest-ranked teams, including Argentina, are among the top seeds. These favored teams are expected to lead their respective groups and advance to the newly introduced playoffs. Spain, ranked No. 1 in the world, is a top seed in Group H.

In the first round, teams will play each other once, resulting in three matches per team. The top two finishers from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams across all groups, will qualify for the Round of 32. This expanded knockout stage marks a departure from previous 32-team World Cups and will feature direct elimination matches leading to the final.

Historically, Brazil holds the record for the most World Cup titles with five wins, followed by Germany and Italy, each with four. Argentina ranks third with three championships, having won in 1978, 1986, and 2022. France and Uruguay have each won the tournament twice, while England and Spain have one title each.