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re: FIFA to examine 64-team World Cup expansion before 2030 tournament
Posted on 7/13/26 at 3:55 pm to RLDSC FAN
Posted on 7/13/26 at 3:55 pm to RLDSC FAN
This is more likely than people want to admit since it would only add 24 matches (all group stage). The bigger jump was 32 to 48 teams which added 40 matches (24 group + 16 knockout)
Most importantly, the path to the final is still 3 group + 5 knockout
Even Pot 1 teams would prefer this to 48. Easier group stages and R32s plus less wear and tear since most Matchday 3s would turn into full lineup rotation because they'll almost always be sitting on 6 points
It's gonna happen baws. Just a matter of 2030 or 2034
On the plus side, it increases our hosting frequency considerably because we're going to be the only country that can reliably host the damn thing
Most importantly, the path to the final is still 3 group + 5 knockout
Even Pot 1 teams would prefer this to 48. Easier group stages and R32s plus less wear and tear since most Matchday 3s would turn into full lineup rotation because they'll almost always be sitting on 6 points
It's gonna happen baws. Just a matter of 2030 or 2034
On the plus side, it increases our hosting frequency considerably because we're going to be the only country that can reliably host the damn thing
This post was edited on 7/13/26 at 10:06 pm
Posted on 7/13/26 at 4:15 pm to SabiDojo
quote:tbf if we expanded to 64 teams for this World Cup the most laughable nations included would’ve still been Curaçao and Uzbekistan
Me in 2030 watching Honduras vs Vatican City:
Other smaller nations but still serviceable that would’ve qualified based on WCQs and mocked would’ve been Northern Ireland, Kosovo… otherwise no issue with Italy, Bolivia, Jamaica, Bolivia, Gabon, Cameroon, Ukraine, etc.
Point is it’s not going to be any more watered down than it is already. ***as long as a 2nd auto-qualifying spot isn’t given to Oceania. We don’t need to see Tahiti or New Caledonia getting shellacked by a dozen goals. Hell I still remember watching Saudi Arabia getting shellacked 8-0 by Germany live in 2002. Haven’t seen anything as bad since anyway including this year with 48 teams
Posted on 7/13/26 at 9:13 pm to Who_Dat_Tiger
after having a lot of fun watching Cape Verde this world cup I say bring on more teams. it wouldn't change knockouts and we wouldn't have the dumb 3rd place team stuff.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 9:34 pm to RLDSC FAN
So San Marino might have a chance!
Posted on 7/14/26 at 4:53 pm to RLDSC FAN
Somehow Italy will still frick up & fail to qualify
Posted on 7/15/26 at 9:04 am to Kansas City King
quote:
Pointless. Even after expanding to 32 teams, the top 4 pre-tournament favorites all made it to the final four. Boooring
That means you’re getting the best possible semis and Final
quote:
*as long as a 2nd auto-qualifying spot isn’t given to Oceania
It’s the WORLD cup, not the European and South American Cup. If it was me, during a World Cup, I would have invited every nation in the world to come and play friendlies even if they didn’t qualify just so they could soak in the atmosphere…
This post was edited on 7/15/26 at 9:12 am
Posted on 7/20/26 at 8:49 pm to RLDSC FAN
It’s official. We’ll have double the games we had at the World Cup just 4 years ago 
Loading Twitter/X Embed...
If tweet fails to load, click here.This post was edited on 7/20/26 at 8:52 pm
Posted on 7/20/26 at 8:59 pm to Who_Dat_Tiger
The group stage is the real party.. I’m okay with it.
16 groups with top two advancing from each.
16 groups with top two advancing from each.
Posted on 7/20/26 at 9:06 pm to southpawcock
Agree. Concern trolling over it is an overreaction imo. The only concerns i could see being valid is if other hosts have the infrastructure to handle a tournament of that size
Basically to expand all they really need to do is allow top 2 from UEFA qualifying groups to qualify for WC group stage rather than just the top of UEFA group in their qualification. That’d pretty much fill all the extra 16 slots on its own and UEFA is so far ahead of the level of the rest of the world anyway. Not like Italy, Ukraine, Wales, Georgia, etc are as bad as Curaçao participating at the WC
Basically to expand all they really need to do is allow top 2 from UEFA qualifying groups to qualify for WC group stage rather than just the top of UEFA group in their qualification. That’d pretty much fill all the extra 16 slots on its own and UEFA is so far ahead of the level of the rest of the world anyway. Not like Italy, Ukraine, Wales, Georgia, etc are as bad as Curaçao participating at the WC
Posted on 7/21/26 at 9:17 am to Who_Dat_Tiger
Just like the CFP I maintain that more isn't always better. We will see. The thing that sucks is it takes a ton of drama out of qualifying which I enjoy watching and tracking over the years.
On a selfish USMNT level it basically guarantees us a spot but at the cost of probably not playing the top teams in our region in qualifying anymore. We already lost the Hex which was a nice challenge leading into the WC. We will see what this new format holds
On a selfish USMNT level it basically guarantees us a spot but at the cost of probably not playing the top teams in our region in qualifying anymore. We already lost the Hex which was a nice challenge leading into the WC. We will see what this new format holds
Posted on 7/21/26 at 1:29 pm to etm512
quote:It may not be a grind going through qualifications, but actually going through qualifications will be a good thing, unless of course they go full entitled tattooed millionaire circa 2017 again.
it basically guarantees us a spot but at the cost of probably not playing the top teams in our region in qualifying anymore
Posted on 7/21/26 at 1:31 pm to RLDSC FAN
Hope they reject this naked money grab. Dilutes the field too much and cheapens the spectacle of the WC. I though 48 teams was the perfect balance of inclusion and exclusivity.
Posted on 7/21/26 at 1:34 pm to RLDSC FAN
Idk. I definitely started getting bored with the group stage games especially after the US had qualified.
Posted on 7/21/26 at 1:47 pm to DmitriKaramazov
quote:Of the 8 3rd place teams that advanced to the knockout stage, only one won a game, and that was Paraguay. Expanding to 64, with only the top 2 advancing changes very little, but gives you more group stage games.
Dilutes the field too much and cheapens the spectacle of the WC
Posted on 7/22/26 at 9:58 am to Citica8
quote:
but gives you more group stage games
But at what point does the quality of those games greatly suffer for the sake of having more games?
For instance with the 32 team format, you had 4 pots with 8 teams in each pot with pot 1 being the strongest and 4 the weakest. 1 team from each pot in each group. With 64 teams you will seemingly have 4 pots with 16 teams each. So your old pots 1 and 2 will now be pot 1, and your old pots 3 and 4 will be pot 2. When you look at it that way, it's not that enticing to me
Posted on 7/22/26 at 10:02 am to etm512
quote:
But at what point does the quality of those games greatly suffer for the sake of having more games?
I don't think there is that much difference in quality between 48 and 64.
Plus, it makes the final group stage round of matches more compelling since it goes back to top 2 advancing instead of the majority of top 3.
Posted on 7/22/26 at 10:06 am to etm512
Apparently Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay automatically qualify for hosting the opening matches 
that’s some real bullshite.
Messi and Ronaldo return. All of Argentina group stage games at Camp Nou.
that’s some real bullshite. Messi and Ronaldo return. All of Argentina group stage games at Camp Nou.
This post was edited on 7/22/26 at 10:17 am
Posted on 7/22/26 at 10:58 am to etm512
32 to 48 was a bigger jump than 48-64
32 teams had 64 matches
48 teams has 104 matches (+40)
64 teams would have 128 matches (+24)
The final group stage with only the top two coming out would end up mattering way more, and all 1 seeds end up playing 2 seeds, instead of some getting 2 seeds and others getting 3 seeds.
Qualifying doesn’t always produce the best match ups either, it’s just moving some of that to the tournament, but for every Curaçao you’ll get a chance to see a Cape Verde, Scotland and the Tartan Army, or Japan staying to pick up trash (they would have qualified regardless). All of those fan bases and cultures that know they aren’t going to win, but excited at the opportunity just to be there, and potentially make a run even if it’s a tiny chance. I watched 75% of the 104 matches this year, not counting the 5-6 games I watched again the day after. It is the greatest sporting event in the World, I’ll gladly take those 24 extra games.
32 teams had 64 matches
48 teams has 104 matches (+40)
64 teams would have 128 matches (+24)
The final group stage with only the top two coming out would end up mattering way more, and all 1 seeds end up playing 2 seeds, instead of some getting 2 seeds and others getting 3 seeds.
Qualifying doesn’t always produce the best match ups either, it’s just moving some of that to the tournament, but for every Curaçao you’ll get a chance to see a Cape Verde, Scotland and the Tartan Army, or Japan staying to pick up trash (they would have qualified regardless). All of those fan bases and cultures that know they aren’t going to win, but excited at the opportunity just to be there, and potentially make a run even if it’s a tiny chance. I watched 75% of the 104 matches this year, not counting the 5-6 games I watched again the day after. It is the greatest sporting event in the World, I’ll gladly take those 24 extra games.
Posted on 7/22/26 at 11:01 am to UnluckyTiger
quote:
Apparently Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay automatically qualify for hosting the opening matches that’s some real bullshite.
This is the biggest farce of the whole thing. CONMEBOL qualifying is going to be a joke.
Posted on 7/22/26 at 11:28 am to Broski
Proposed/Projection
quote:If that’s true than that needs to be adjusted. You can’t have 80% of your confederation make it
UEFA (Europe): 21 teams
CAF (Africa): 12 teams
AFC (Asia): 10 teams
CONMEBOL (South America): 8 teams
CONCACAF (North/Central America & Caribbean): 8 teams
OFC (Oceania): 1 team
Play-off spots: 4 teams
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