World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2026

[Brahvocado]

Quote: Originally Posted by ZeroTheHero

If anything, they should make the final World Cup tournament smaller. The qualifiers should instead be counted as the actual tournament, the group stages after the qualifiers should consist of home an away matches locally and when the cup matches start the tournament started in the host country.

Only problem with this is that it greatly favors the bigger nations.

At a World Cup, nobody but the host nation has a home field advantage. With a home and away style group stage, you'd get smaller countries looking to go on a fairytale run having to travel to the Maracana etc. Plus, it's double the amount of games.

I'm with you on making the tournament smaller though, I like the idea, I'm just not sure how it would be done in a fair way.

[ZeroTheHero]

What weaker countries want isn't really relevant for my opinion.

[Suntan Superman]

Also, people don't want to see the best, they like random, that's why March Madness is so popular, by increasing the number of teams, there's a higher chance that a "shock" can happen. It's all for the casual fan.

[petersh]

I think expansion is a great idea. Many national teams in Asia, North America, and Africa want to join WC.
I also want to see Netherlands, Italy, and Chile in WC

[Brahvocado]

Quote: Originally Posted by petersh

I also want to see Netherlands, Italy, and Chile in WC

Well maybe they shouldn't have royally balls'd up their qualification campaigns.

[Majingir]

Voting and announcement will be happening Wednesday morning!

There's even a "none of the above" option. Apparently it was put in place awhile ago incase both bids received bad ratings so it'd give people a chance to see other bids.

It'd be the most FIFA thing ever if Morocco got the 2026 World Cup. Under any other circumstances they might actually get it, but with all the controversy around the 2018 and especially 2022 voting, they basically have to give it to North America. People can mention the political aspect all they want, but if they are against NA that much because of the political aspect, how do you not vote "none of the above" over Morocco?


And that united bid better have Canada automatically qualifying for the WC. Never in the almost 100 year history of the world cup has a host country not automatically qualified.

[dickey1331]

There’s no way they let USA, Mexico and Canada all automatically qualify.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Brahvocado]

Quote: Originally Posted by dickey1331

There’s no way they let USA, Mexico and Canada all automatically qualify. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I don't see why Canada would agree to a joint bid if they don't get automatic qualification.