The governing body of FIFA has voted the 2026 World Cup will be a competition of 48 teams, a noticeable uptick from the current 32-team format. This gives teams from poorer and smaller nations a chance to compete. It also means introducing a "do-or-die" knockout stage earlier in the bracket which has some fans upset. A superior team having a bad game could be eliminated from the World Cup prematurely and weaken the overall level of competition. Is this move good for FIFA? ⚽
With 48 competitors, get ready for some 7-0 blowouts in the first round. It could be ugly to watch and certainly won't be fun.
Soccer (or football) is one of the most international sports in the world. It unites people across borders. Why shouldn't FIFA expand and be more inclusive? Everyone deserves a shot.
"This change is about money. The World Cup could bring in an extra $640 million with these changes. This modification isn't because the cup needed more quality or anything like that. It's about that green paper that FIFA seems to always crave."
FIFA is known for being corrupt and this is just another example. FIFA is taking an elite competition and turning it into a circus.
For true fans, this is just going to suck.
BREAKING: The 2026 World Cup will include 48 teams...
— SPORF (@Sporf) January 10, 2017
....which means England will now get knocked out by Poundland and Lego Land. pic.twitter.com/Zl1U6c1d5o
If it ain't broke...
That ship has sailed, but lots of people are still face-palming.
A moment’s silence for the 32-team World Cup pic.twitter.com/2btrC0FCpY
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) January 10, 2017
