The maximum number of matches a team can play in a World Cup tournament is seven. In the FIFA World Cup, teams must successfully navigate the group stage, typically consisting of three matches, followed by knockout rounds, where a team must win subsequent matches to progress. If a team reaches the final, they will have played a total of seven matches, beginning with the group stage and culminating in the championship match. This format emphasizes the importance of each game, as the path to victory becomes more challenging through elimination rounds.