World Cup switches to 48-team tournament

International Football
#121

We should have hosted it in 2010. We were robbed by FIFA corruption

1 Like
#122

Other changes to Fifa calendar is that, from 2026, the September/October international break to be combined so it’s a 16-day four-match window.

Also known as a four match bore fest.

Why do FIFA insist on punishing supporters with mid season international games?
They’re like adverts on YouTube, boring and they ruin the flow of what you really want to watch.

What genuine football supporter has ever said: “I’m bored with club football, I can’t wait for the international qualifiers to start?”

#123

Tottenham fans

2 Likes
#124
#125

So it’s going to involve 48 teams.

Is it because FIFA want small countries to be thrashed by big teams in the finals of the competition?
Or is th€r€ po$$ibly another r€a$on?

1 Like
#126

It’s definitely about money but actually a smaller nation qualifying will produce a windfall they could never otherwise dream of.

1 Like
#127

If you’re going to go to 48 teams you might as well go to 64 and have a full extra knockout round. The groups where third place teams can qualify are just not as interesting. It’s big but it is the World Cup and it’s only every 4 years.

#128

if 64 teams, how many groups do we have?
8 groups of 8 teams, or 16 groups of 4?

if 48 teams, it is 12 groups of 4.

A 2-month tournament?

Basically the traditional good team are qualitified automatically because they are all seeded and won’t face each other in qualifying rounds.
We won’t see anymore 2 or 3 goods teams in a qualifying group.

the qualifying games are just for the 2nd/3rd tier teams be honest.

#129

The South American qualification is a a bit of a joke. 10 teams…6 will qualify for the main tourney while a seventh would enter into a playoff. So potentially 7 teams from that region

#130

Joao Havelanges legacy ladies and gents.