BEST FORMAT for 2026 WORLD CUP: 40 countries + 8 countries (no need to worry about collusion)

My proposal Here's how it would work

40 countries: 10 groups of 4 countries

DOUBLE ELIMINATION: winners advance, losers have one last chance

Group A:

England
Croatia
Egypt
Japan


England vs Japan (England win and advance)
Croatia vs Egypt (Egypt win and advance)

Loser Croatia and Loser Japan will play each other to decide the 3rd team in the group to advance

Example: Japan won so the 3 countries in Group A to advance are England, Egypt and Japan. Croatia is...

BEST FORMAT for 2026 WORLD CUP: 40 countries + 8 countries (no need to worry about collusion)