World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

[dickey1331]

https://twitter.com/fifamedia/status/818753191449948160

16 groups of 3 with more details to come.


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[jb12780]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

What a horrible idea.

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[~LiverpoolRed~]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

Ridiculous decision. The Euros were deemed too watered down by many critics this is even worse. Canada will now get 16 more chances of not getting in.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

32 seems like a sweet spot. This is a stupid money-grubbing decision.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

Reading more on the format. How incredibly stupid. They're inviting 16 teams to come play 2 games and go home. Confirming that this has nothing to do with football whatsoever. You'll have 2nd games of the group stage where teams will just kick the ball around midfield because they know they're both through before it even kicks off. And they're still going to stuff this all into a month's time. Way to ruin a great tournament.

[fugazi]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

Best sporting event in the world. Toast.

Group stage will be ridiculous.

From DailyMail:
""There were also options for the 37-member FIFA Council to vote for a 40-team tournament, with 10 groups of four or eight groups of five, but the only other 48-team proposal saw a 32-team one-game knockout round with the winners joining 16 already-qualified teams.

European places at the competition will likely rise from 13 to 16. Africa and Asia could have as many as nine teams each. At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil they had five and four teams respectively.""

It seems any of those options are better than what has been decided. That last plan actually sounds alright...a "wild card" one-game playoff to advance to the round of 32? Sure, I'd take it...

9 teams from Asia AND Africa?? ugh

[jasontoddwhitt]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

Horrible, money grubbing decision.

32 teams is perfect.


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[bhurst99]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

Ridiculous decision. The Euros were deemed too watered down by many critics this is even worse. Canada will now get 16 more chances of not getting in.

If they expand to 96 teams I guarantee my Canada will get in.

But only if we co-host the tournament. LOL

[ImTellinTim]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

If they wanted to expand, they should've just gone to 64 and made it longer to retain a "perfect" tournament (groups of 4, half of the teams go home).

[KG]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

Any mention of expanding roster sizes?

I'd love to see England call up a 40 yr old Wayne Rooney

[Suntan Superman]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

I'm waiting for them to do it as a 64-team single elimination tournament so it can just be Football Madness.

[jb12780]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

Knowing FIFA, this one will probably hosted somewhere along the equator.

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[dickey1331]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

Knowing FIFA, this one will probably hosted somewhere along the equator.

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It's looking like US/Mexico/Canada are early favorites


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[ImTellinTim]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

Marco van Basten said that FIFA is thinking about NASL-style shootouts in group stage matches for 2026.

[tpw2189]

Re: World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

ITs all about that money