India, June 8 -- Just a few days left, and the world's biggest FIFA World Cup event is back! At the very same moment, this should be wrapping up here in North America four days before the start, fans are getting ready for a much different one, the expansion from a 32-team format is the biggest one after all, and now there are 48 countries competing for football's most coveted trophy for the first time. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be shared between the US, Canada, and Mexico, includes 104 games in 39 days, which makes it the largest World Cup ever held.

But what is the new qualification system all about? Check out this guide:

FIFA World Cup 2026: Why has the tournament been expanded?

FIFA's decision to increase the number of tea...