WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will feature the largest field of nations ever, with 48 in total set to battle on North American shores.

With it comes the understandable question: Is bigger better?

Legendary ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, now FIFA's chief global officer, simply calls it the "natural evolution" of the competition; the same way it went from 13 teams in 1930 to 16 in 1934, to 24 in 1982, and to its most recent format of 32 teams in 1998.

Despite the expanding numbers, the results have remained the same. Only eight different nations have won a World Cup, and they have only come from Europe or South America.

"We want to make football global all over the world," Wenger said on Thursday ahead of the 2026 World Cup Draw. "

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