World Cup 2026 teams to be based in ‘clusters’: FIFA

AFP, Los Angeles :
Teams at the expanded 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be based in regional clusters during the early rounds to ease travel, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday.

Speaking in Los Angeles to unveil the official logo and branding for the tournament, Infantino said the move was prompted by the scale of the 2026 finals.
For the first time the next World Cup will include 48 teams — up from 32 — and will be co-hosted by three countries, another first.

“The challenges will be the whole logistics around it,” Infantino said. “It’s a continent — three countries and not three small countries either — three big countries.
“The distances, the time zones, the climatic differences too — altitude in Mexico, sea level in other parts.”