The first 48-team World Cup -- more opportunities, less jeopardy?

TL;DR

The 2026 World Cup will expand to 48 teams, allowing more nations to participate, including debutants like Curacao. However, this change may reduce the competition's jeopardy and excitement, as top teams could advance with fewer concerns over early defeats.

Key points

2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams for the first time
More opportunities for debutant nations like Curacao
Top two teams and eight best third-placed teams will advance
Concerns about dilution of competition and excitement
Experts suggest potential for cautious football in knockout rounds

Mentioned in this story

FIFA

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Germany's defeat to Japan at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar contributed to them being eliminated in the group stage, just as they were in 2018 (INA FASSBENDER) (INA FASSBENDER/AFP/AFP) The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams, with the expansion of the field offering opportunities to several debutants -- but will FIFA's determination to have more nations participating remove much of the jeopardy which helped make the competition so great? The expansion is the delivery of a key proposal made by Gianni Infantino not long after he became president of world football's governing body in 2016. He talked of the importance of giving "more chances for more teams" and indicated that the World Cup needed to be seen as "more than a competition, it's a social event."

'Natural evolution' - Certainly, for much of its history, the World Cup could not be described as genuinely global. It was dominated by Europe and a few South American nations as it settled on a 16-team format until being expanded to 24 in 1982. Ten of the 16 participants in 1978 were European, while by 1990 in Italy there were 14 European sides out of 24. Africa sent a total of four representatives to the first 11 World Cups before 1982. But even by 1990 there were just two teams each from Africa, Asia and the CONCACAF zone of North and Central America and the Caribbean. The expansion to 32 teams from 1998 gave a fairer distribution of places worldwide, but still only five African nations went to Qatar in 2022, while 13 came from Europe. The move to 48 ensures a more even share without removing qualifying spots from Europe -– it now has 16 teams, while there are 10 from Africa, nine from Asia, six each from South America and CONCACAF plus New Zealand. "It's a natural evolution. We want to make football global all over the world," Arsene Wenger, FIFA's chief of global football development, said in December. "I believe that 48 teams is the right number. It's less than 25 percent for 211 countries who are affiliated to FIFA." The expansion has allowed some of the world's smallest countries to qualify for the finals for the first time -- notably the tiny Caribbean island of Curacao with its population of barely 160,000. "Once in a decade or once every four years, it happens that a small country is the surprise," coach Fred Rutten told AFP, as he hopes to cause a major upset or two. , and are other first-time qualifiers. And the new format gives the outsiders a better chance of making it beyond the group stage and into the last 32, the first knockout round. With the top two in all 12 groups progressing along with the eight best third-placed sides, one win in the first round could suffice to advance.

Q&A

What is the significance of the 48-team format in the 2026 World Cup?

The 48-team format aims to provide more opportunities for nations to participate, ensuring a more global representation in the tournament.

How does the new World Cup format affect team progression?

In the new format, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance, potentially allowing teams to progress with just one win.

Which countries are making their World Cup debut in 2026?

Countries like Curacao, Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan are set to make their World Cup debuts in 2026.

What concerns do experts have about the 48-team World Cup?

Experts worry that the expansion may dilute the competition's spectacle and reduce the jeopardy of early matches, as top teams might not face immediate elimination.