These are "revolutionary" changes.
The most significant and noticeable change at the 2026 World Cup is the increase in the number of participating teams from 32 to 48 by the International Football Federation (FIFA). This is the most substantial expansion since the World Cup had 32 teams in 1998 (the previous World Cup in 1994 had 24 teams). Along with this, the tournament will welcome many new faces to the biggest football event on the planet, such as Jordan, Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, and Curacao – teams that previously had almost no chance of qualifying for the World Cup.
The increase in the number of teams has led to a series of adjustments to the tournament structure. The total number of matches will increase from 64 to 104, the number of groups will increase from 8 to 12, and the tournament duration will be extended to 5 weeks instead of 4 weeks as before. This presents a significant challenge for the organizers, but at the same time opens up more space for teams to showcase their abilities, and allows fans to enjoy more high-level matches.
The format for advancing from the group stage has also become more complex. Besides the top two teams in each group, the best third-placed teams will also qualify. With 12 groups, 24 teams (top and bottom) along with the 8 best third-placed teams will advance to the 32-team knockout round. According to experts, there are up to 495 different possible brackets for the third-placed teams, meaning that determining the bracket can only be done after the group stage concludes. This promises to create new drama and force teams to maintain high levels of concentration until the final matches.
Not only the finals, but the 2026 World Cup qualifiers also saw a notable change with the Intercontinental Play-off round. Instead of playing home and away as before, teams will concentrate their matches in Mexico, at the same stadiums that will host the 2026 World Cup. This is seen as an opportunity for smaller teams to "get acquainted with the World Cup" early, while also creating a special atmosphere for the final qualifying stage.
The World Cup has always been the highest benchmark in world football, and the changes at the 2026 World Cup are likely to become a model for numerous other tournaments. This happened after the 2018 World Cup when video assistant referee (VAR) technology was first implemented and quickly became indispensable in major tournaments.
Even before the 2026 World Cup takes place, FIFA has already begun to replicate this model. The 2030 World Cup will be held in three countries: Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. UEFA has also assigned four football federations – England, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales – to co-host EURO 2028. The trend of multiple countries co-hosting a major tournament is becoming increasingly popular, reducing the financial and infrastructure burden while expanding access to top-level football.
Furthermore, FIFA plans to expand the number of participating teams in other tournaments such as the Women's World Cup in 2031 and 2035, or the U20 World Cup in 2027 with two host nations, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. All of this shows that the 2026 World Cup is not just a single tournament, but a milestone marking the beginning of a new phase of development for world football.
What opportunities are there for Vietnamese football?
The expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams opens up greater opportunities for developing football nations, including Vietnam. In the Asian region, the number of World Cup qualifying spots has increased significantly, from 4 automatic to 8, plus one spot in the intercontinental play-off. This means that the door to the World Cup finals is now wider open and no longer as distant as before.
However, opportunities will only truly materialize if Vietnamese football continues to develop systematically and over the long term. This requires continued strong investment in youth football, considering it the core foundation. The successes at the U23 and U20 levels in recent years show Vietnam's potential, but to maintain and elevate this potential, the youth training system needs to be standardized and more closely linked to professional clubs. Clearly, we cannot rely solely on the U23 team that just competed in the 2026 U23 Asian Championship; we must rely on multiple generations, continuously building upon each other to create a sufficiently deep and experienced squad.
Furthermore, the quality of domestic leagues, especially the V.League, needs to be improved in both professionalism and competitiveness. An attractive and highly professional league will be the best launching pad for national team players. Alongside this, there should be a bold move to send players abroad to compete, helping them gain experience and develop their skills in a top-level environment.
At the same time, modern football training, sports science , and management also need to be given more attention. The 2026 World Cup shows that world football is operating in an increasingly professional, detailed, and scientific direction. If we don't keep up with this trend, the opportunities from expanding the number of teams will remain only theoretical.
The 2026 World Cup is therefore not only a highly anticipated tournament for fans worldwide, but also an opportunity for Vietnamese football to reflect on its past journey and set investment directions for the next phase, thereby turning opportunities into reality.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/world-cup-2026-ky-world-cup-mang-tinh-buoc-ngoat-734017.html
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