In the summer, North America will host the first-ever World Cup with a 48-team format. As always, the likes of Brazil, France, Spain, Argentina, and England will bring a galaxy of stars to the Finals, but there will also be first-time appearances from Cape Verde, Uzbekistan, and Curacao.
With all due respect to those latter teams – all of whom qualified for the tournament – they arguably do not represent the elite end of the soccer world. It has led to some criticism that the new format, with 48 teams, has led to a dilution in talent.
Yet it’s not just the smaller teams qualifying that could be seen as a misstep from FIFA – and we shouldn’t forget that many fans enjoy seeing new nations qualify – but also the lack of jeopardy the new format will introduce earlier in the tournament.
More teams and more games mean less jeopardy
For example, in previous World Cups, the top two teams from each group qualified for the knockout rounds, meaning that every game in the group stage felt crucial. We have seen significant drama due to this format in the past, including, for instance, France's elimination in the group stage in 2002.
Now, it is possible that a team may qualify for the knockout rounds with a single point across the three games. It raises the prospect that bigger teams will rest star players, knowing they can afford to lose or take their foot off the gas, keeping something in reserve for later in the tournament.
While some might argue that fans will tune in come what may, it’s not just as clear-cut as that. The World Cup is marketed as the premier sports tournament in the world, and part of its goal is to penetrate the American market. A competitive, dramatic tournament is a must.
NFL season demonstrated intense competition
If you look at the 2025 NFL season and Playoffs, for instance, it felt like every game mattered. It was ultra-competitive, with the Super Bowl 60 betting odds seemingly changing with each round of games. Fans felt engaged from Week 1 with a blockbuster clash between the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens right through to the Playoffs. The World Cup needs to offer something comparable.
And if you haven’t seen it yet, there are plans to increase the number of teams to 64. That is getting a huge amount of pushback. While there are merits, including giving smaller soccer nations, such as India, a better chance to qualify, it would likely further dilute the tournament’s quality.
Moreover, more games will lead to more player criticism. Player schedules are already highly intense, with some linking it to more frequent injuries and drop-offs in performance. Lest we forget, FIFA already introduced a new club competition – the FIFA Club World Cup – last summer. More games have also been added to the Champions League.
Even if you believe the players are overpaid and should simply do their jobs, it is undeniable that the top players are playing more games than they were a couple of decades ago. It can impact performance, which can detract from fans’ experiences.
In the end, we will have to wait until the World Cup concludes to make any assumptions. Perhaps it is a brilliant tournament, and all of this speculation becomes meaningless. But the best sports tournaments have real jeopardy in every round, and the World Cup's structure has effectively eliminated it. It may change our perceptions of the biggest sports tournament in the world.
