Expanding the World Cup: Innovation or a Threat to Quality?
An analysis of how increasing the number of participants in major football tournaments might negatively impact the spectacle and status of international competitions.
Фото: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Автор: Ank kumar
In recent years, the approaches taken by FIFA and UEFA regarding the organization of World Cups and European Championships have sparked significant debate among experts and fans. The central issue is the continuous increase in the number of participants in final tournaments, which critics argue may lead to the devaluation of these competitions.
Historically, the most spectacular tournaments were those featuring 16 or 24 teams. At that time, the tournaments showcased the elite of world football, minimizing the number of 'dead' matches. Despite the presence of weaker sides qualifying via continental quotas, the level of competition remained exceptionally high.
Today, the situation has shifted significantly. Qualifying cycles have become a formality, and the expanded format results in a high number of fixtures between mid-to-low tier teams. This commercialization leads fans to anticipate the real football action only from the knockout stages, as the group stages often lose their intensity.
Despite the criticism, FIFA continues its push to expand football's global reach, with discussions already underway regarding a potential expansion to 64 teams. However, there is a clear risk that chasing quantity will come at the expense of quality, as upsets are only truly compelling when underdogs take points from favorites, rather than from other mid-table sides.