There were 32 teams in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which was the last World Cup to use the 32-team format before expansion to 48 teams for 2026.

Quick Scoop

  • The 2022 World Cup featured 32 national teams competing in the final tournament.
  • These teams were divided into 8 groups of 4 , labeled Groups A through H.
  • FIFA has confirmed that from 2026 onward the World Cup will expand to 48 teams , making 2022 the final edition with 32 participants.

In other words, if you watched Qatar 2022, you saw the last “classic” 32-team World Cup format in action.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.