local
Could the next World Cup have even more teams? FIFA is considering it
By CNN Newsource at KVIA ABC-7
· July 13, 2026
· 10 min read
By Ben Church, CNN
(CNN) — Note: This story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here.
Happy Monday, everyone, and welcome to the final week of this year’s World Cup.
The first of the two semifinals will get un...
Key takeaway The Main Thing: FIFA to consider an even bigger World Cup When it was announced that this year would be the largest World Cup in history, fought between a record 48 teams, there was a bit of pushback initially.
Why this matters in The El Paso
For El Paso soccer fans, the possibility of an expanded World Cup field is exciting news. With a growing soccer community in the city, the chance to see more countries compete on the world stage could lead to increased interest and participation in local soccer programs. The success of debutant teams in this year's World Cup, such as Cape Verde and Curaçao, shows that smaller countries can make a big impact, and El Paso's own diverse community may find itself drawn to these underdog stories. As FIFA considers expanding the tournament, El Pasoans may wonder if this could lead to more opportunities for local players to compete at the international level, or if the city could potentially host World Cup qualifying matches or other international soccer events in the future.
About this story
Original reporting by KVIA ABC-7 . The El Paso surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KVIA ABC-7 . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: July 13, 2026 ·
Source: KVIA ABC-7 ·
Reading time: 10 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? By Ben Church, CNN
(CNN) — Note: This story first appeared in The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily newsletter on all things World Cup. To subscribe, click here.
Happy Monday, everyone, and welcome to the final week of this year’s World Cup.
The first of the two semifinals will get un...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 13, 2026 by KVIA ABC-7 and curated for The El Paso readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by CNN Newsource at KVIA ABC-7. To learn more about how The El Paso selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The El Paso, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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