World Cup 2026: the new tournament format
dFrom August 15 to 30, the women’s and men’s World Cup will be played in Belgium and the Netherlands simultaneously. It is a competition of 16 countries divided into four zones.
In men, Group A consists of the Netherlands, Argentina, New Zealand and Japan. Group B has Belgium, Germany, France and Malaysia. C, has Australia, Spain, Ireland and South Africa; and D: England, India, Pakistan and Wales. Group A and D will be played in the Netherlands while Group B and C will be played in Belgium.
In ladies, in A are the Netherlands, Australia, Chile and Japan. In B, Argentina, Germany, the United States and Scotland. In C, Belgium, Spain, New Zealand and Ireland. In the D, China, England, India and South Africa. Group A and D will be on Dutch soil, while B and C in the new Belgian stadium.
The initial phase is all against all in the area. The first two from each zone (that is, eight countries) will advance and form two new groups: E and F. The last two from each group will form G and H.
Group E will have: 1st from A, 1st from D, 2nd from A and 2nd from D. Group F will have: 1st from B, 1st from C, 2nd from B, 2nd from C. They will play again all against all in the area and those who remain in the first two positions will reach the semifinals of the World Cup. Among the best four of the tournament, the matches to determine the final will be crossed: 1st of the E vs. 2° F and vice versa.
Group G and H will work in the same way to order positions from eight to 16. But the last crossings will be 1st vs. 1st, 2nd vs. 2nd, 3rd vs. 3rd and 4th vs. 4th.
