A huge change for the FIFA World Cup!

The FIFA Council has finally approved the format for the 2026 World Cup, which includes 12 groups for the North American tournament. In total, there will be 48 teams.

The nations will be distributed in 12 groups of four, for a total of 104 matches between the group stage and the knockout rounds.

FIFA approves World Cup format for 2026:
104 games
48 teams
12 groups of 4, 3 games played
8 maximum games (up from 7)
Top 2 teams in each group plus 8 best 3rd-placed sides advance pic.twitter.com/2uHLLOC7Eo
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 14, 2023

This increase in teams has been discussed since the idea of a 40-team World Cup was floated in 2013.

And it was in 2017 that the FIFA Council approved the structure for a 48-team expansion.

Since its birth in 1930, the World Cup has grown from 13 representatives to 32, in 1998, and starting in 2026, 48 countries will be vying for soccer’s biggest prize!

Soccer is becoming more and more popular around the world and the quality of the sport is improving, so this increase makes perfect sense for the future.

As the gap between the best and worst teams widens, the results could be uneven in the group stage and maybe even in the round of 16.

But no matter, the World Cup will expand to 48 teams starting in 2026.

It happened on a… April 1

2017

Bob Dylan receives his Nobel Prize for Literature at a private ceremony in Stockholm.

2004

Google Inc. announced that it would be introducing a free e-mail service called Gmail.

1999

The Canadian territory of Nunavut was created. It was carved from the eastern part of the Northwest Territories and covered about 772,000 square miles.

1983

New York Islander Mike Bossy became the first NHL player to score 60 goals in 3 consecutive seasons.

1978

New York Islanders right wing Mike Bossy becomes first NHL rookie to score 50 goals in a season.

1976

Apple Computer began operations.

1969

Quebec legalizes civil marriages.

1938

Nescafé introduces their flagship brand in Switzerland

The Baseball Hall of Fame opened in Cooperstown, NY.

1930

“The Blue Angel” starring Marlene Dietrich in her breakthrough role premieres in Germany.

1924

The Royal Canadian Air Force is formed.

1905

“SOS” first adopted as a morse distress signal (· · · – – – · · ·) by German government

1891

French painter Paul Gauguin leaves Marseille for Tahiti.

1873

British White Star steamship Atlantic sinks off Nova Scotia, 547 die.

1748

Ruins of Pompeii rediscovered by Spaniard Rocque Joaquin de Alcubierre.

We know the verdict in Gwyneth Paltrow’s case and it’s the end of a bizarre saga

It’s the end of a strange saga to say the least!

In what looked like a media circus and a grotesque Hollywood sketch at times, the civil trial of Gwyneth Paltrow, who was sued by a man who accused her of seriously injuring him during a skiing collision, ended with a favorable verdict for the star.

The jury composed of her “peers” has indeed retained her version of events, as well as that of her children and witnesses from her clan, to the detriment of the man in question, the plaintiff, Terry Sanderson.

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The latter is therefore recognized as the culprit in this case of ski accident in Utah, and ordered to pay $1 symbolic to Gwyneth Paltrow.

The jury declares that “100%” of the responsibility of the case is on Sanderson, to the great relief of Paltrow.

The latter offered a few words to her accuser at the exit of the courthouse…

“I wish you well,” she reportedly whispered Sanderson, reports The Guardian and Entertainment Tonight.

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News

Donald Trump indicted, the world stopped for a minute

It is now a done deal.

While many doubted the ability of the Manhattan prosecutor to complete his case to formal charges against a former U.S. president, in this case Donald Trump, it is now a successful mission for him and his office.

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Indeed, we learned late yesterday that not only Donald Trump will be indicted for his involvement in the case of payments to the adult actress Stormy Daniels, but that no less than 30 charges could be filed against him, reported CNN in the evening.

A case that we will follow with attention, like the rest of North America and the world, of course.