The 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and USA will be the first to have a new format for the table standings. The current system has been in place since the 1994 tournament in the United States, but it is now time for a change.

The new format will see teams ranked based on their performance throughout the tournament. This means that teams who perform well in the group stage will be given a higher ranking than those who struggle in the early rounds. This could potentially lead to some surprises as teams who were previously considered favorites may not make it out of the group stages.

Another key feature of the new format is that teams will only play one match against each other during the group stage. This means that matches will be more evenly matched and there will be less opportunity for teams to win by default.

In addition to these changes, the 2026 World Cup will also feature a number of other innovations. For example, there will be a "super round" where teams can earn extra points by winning two games in a row. There will also be a new type of penalty shootout called "double overtime" which will allow teams to continue playing until a winner is determined.

Overall, the new format for the 2026 World Cup promises to be exciting and unpredictable. It will be interesting to see how teams adapt to this new system and whether or not it leads to a truly fair and competitive tournament.