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48 Team World Cup by 2026.









Wozza

Shite Supporter
Jul 6, 2003
23,584
Online
The number of European teams is rising from 13 to 16...
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,323
Uffern
The number of European teams is rising from 13 to 16...

Yay. Scotland will get a chance to be in it.

It's a bit worrying that they're going back to the idea of a last group game being played on its own - that means a few more convenient 0-0 draws. It's never good for football when teams know what they have to get
 




SeagullinExile

Well-known member
Sep 10, 2010
5,674
London
More games/More teams = More cash for FIFA.

No surprise in this decision then.
 


Jeep

Active member
Aug 1, 2003
613
Did they also approve the bit about "no draws", but having a penalty shoot out instead? If so I think I may find something better to do than to watch.

Oh, and I think the accountants are a lot more than 1-0 up against proper football
 






LlcoolJ

Mama said knock you out.
Oct 14, 2009
12,982
Sheffield
Expanding the tournament has already ruined the Euros, this will do the same to the World Cup. Totally shit idea but no surprise it's going ahead as FIFA will make an extra billion or so from it.
 


ditchy

a man with a sound track record as a source of qua
Jul 8, 2003
5,205
brighton
More games/More teams = More cash for FIFA.

No surprise in this decision then.

Will end up a tournament like champions league and will run all year .So hope i am wrong , but if thats what generates most money they will.
Its time separate associations start to stand up to this or better still break away from the corrupt organisation that it is .
 






seagullwedgee

Well-known member
Aug 9, 2005
2,981
The worst thing is, they are planning 16 groups of 3 teams. An absolute recipe of tactical playing when trialled back in the 80s. Led to the most turgid safe football you have ever seen.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,730
Brighton
Never gonna complete a sticker collection for 48 teams!!
 


AK74

Bright-eyed. Bushy-tailed. GSOH.
NSC Patreon
Jan 19, 2010
1,187
48 different world cup songs. Just what the world's been waiting for.
 






Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
71,903
Living In a Box
And no country will be big enough to host it
 


Puppet Master

non sequitur
Aug 14, 2012
4,055
Great. Now we'll have to contend with Wales fans crowing they're the greatest team in the world because they qualified for something again.
 






Hotchilidog

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2009
8,645
The World Cup has lost it's shine for me. Two corrupt tournaments coming up and then this monstrosity planned for 2026. FIFA kiling football not saving it. I'm done with International football for the time being.
 


halbpro

Well-known member
Jan 25, 2012
2,855
Brighton
I'd say it's a positive that finalists still play the same number of games, that's good. Also good that it stays at 32 days, same as the current tournament. Keeping those elements was apparently key to getting UEFA (or the big leagues within UEFA) onside.

More games in the tournament isn't really much of a plus, 64 was plenty in my opinion. I mean yes, there'll be more football, but there's only a finite amount you can watch and the standard will almost certainly be lower. Having a round of 32, which you'd imagine will be the roughly the entire contingent of teams that qualified for the 2014 World Cup, is a bit daft - just take the top team from each group and go straight to the round of 16.

And is anyone actually in favour of including more teams? What does it add?
 



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