how many games are in the group stage
The group stage has 72 games in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with 12 groups of four teams and each team playing three matches.
How it breaks down
- Each group has 6 matches.
- With 12 groups total, that makes 72 group-stage matches.
- Each team plays 3 games in the group stage.
Simple example
In one group, if there are 4 teams, every team plays the other 3 once, so the group produces 6 total games.