2026 World Cup to Be the Largest in History

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, will be held as the largest tournament in history.

For the first time, 48 national teams will participate in the World Cup. This marks the biggest expansion in the tournament's history.

The first World Cup was held in 1930, with 13 teams participating.

The number of participants reached 16 in the 1934 and 1938 tournaments. In the 1950 World Cup, 13 national teams took to the field.

From 1954 to 1978, the World Cups were held with 16 teams participating.

In 1982, the tournament format changed, increasing the number of participants to 24. This format remained in place until 1994.

Starting in 1998, 32 national teams participated in the World Cup. This format was applied for seven consecutive championships.

In the 2026 tournament, the number of participants has been increased again to 48.

The new format allows more countries to participate in the World Cup. Additionally, the number of matches and the level of competition are expected to rise significantly.

Notably, the Uzbekistan national team has qualified for the World Cup for the first time in its history and will participate in the 2026 World Cup.