Expanding from 32 to 48 teams reshapes the whole competition. The group stage now has 12 groups labelled A through L, each containing four teams who play three matches.
The two top finishers in every group go through, and the eight best third-placed teams fill the remaining spots in a brand-new Round of 32. From there the tournament follows the familiar single-elimination path: Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, a third-place play-off and the final.
For fans it means more drama in the group stage, where even a draw can be enough to progress, and more chances to see unexpected names go deep into the bracket.