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.