The decision to return to four-team groups for the 2026 World Cup could be made later this month.
The expanded 48-team competition in the United States, Mexico, and Canada was to include 16 three-person groups.
However, the excitement generated by last year’s tournament in Qatar, where some groups went down to tense final games, has prompted Fifa to reconsider.
The move could be confirmed at the governing body’s council meeting in Rwanda on March 16th.
According to BBC Sport, all parties agree that the four-team format should be kept as long as it does not increase the competition’s ‘footprint,’ which includes preparation time as well as the tournament itself.
“Three-player groups sounded great, but there are some issues,” Concacaf president Victor Montagliani said at the FT Business of Football Summit.
“Is it right that you qualify for a World Cup and a third of teams go home after two games?