48 Team World Cup by 2026.

[Leekbrookgull]

Looks like its going ahead. Could help England

 

[studio150]

Looks like its going ahead. Could help England

Yes, we can lose to the likes of the Christmas Islands now.

Accountants 1 Football 0

 

[AmexRuislip]

Yes, we can lose to the likes of the Christmas Islands now.

Accountants 1 Football 0

Have you seen their forward, Noel Yuletide, he's an absolute master of unwrapping defences in the box!

 

[Wozza]

The number of European teams is rising from 13 to 16...

 

[Gwylan]

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]

More games/More teams = More cash for FIFA.

No surprise in this decision then.

 

[Jeep]

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

 

[Wozza]

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

Er... they couldn't make a 24-teams Euros!

 

[LlcoolJ]

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]

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 .

 

[WhingForPresident]

Really is time we broke away from FIFA. They are killing the game.

 

[seagullwedgee]

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]

Never gonna complete a sticker collection for 48 teams!!

 

[AK74]

48 different world cup songs. Just what the world's been waiting for.

 

[darkwolf666]

Never gonna complete a sticker collection for 48 teams!!

Do you reckon Panini have been leaning on FIFA?

 

[Beach Hut]

And no country will be big enough to host it

 

[Puppet Master]

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.

 

[ditchy]

And no country will be big enough to host it

hence a champions league format will occur with a host country bidding for the semis and the final

 

[Hotchilidog]

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]

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?