re: World Cup Format - 2026 and Beyond

Euros was an abortion with the expanded field. It should quash any desire for 48 if FIFA had integrity.

The average group game quality is inevitably going to be worse compared to what we currently have, even ignoring for the fricked up tactics that will be deployed for final group games. The cynicism that the 33-48 will employ in parking because they aren't talented enough to play a proper match is going to be pathetic and not satisfying to watch, even worse than what the 3rd/4th place sides routinely use. We wouldn't even get any good 1/2 seed matchups a la Spain-Portugal or Brazil-Switzerland or even Croatia-Argentina (or Belgium-England or France-Denmark if those matchups weren't the third games with both teams already advanced)... because we get on average (in current 8 group but 6-team group terms) a 1.5 pot team, a 3.5 pot team, and a 5.5 pot team. Riveting competition, and there's basically no way for what's a current pot 1 or 2 side to not advance.

Then the knockout rounds commence with the same number of teams currently in the whole thing - so further mediocrity and defensive tactics and blowouts impacting the knockouts. Top teams would pair with pot 4 equivalents on average.

Then the tourney can start in the R16 as most of the title contenders will not have played a quality match up to this point.

The 4 team group is a staple in football and it's lunacy to change it. I don't want shite AFC, CAF, and CONCACAF teams watering down the competition. If it actually transpires it will not come back for 2030 because the outcry for killing the magic of the event (for which the excitement of the competitive group stage is a major component) will be too much.

Every team already participates in the World Cup, they just don't all qualify for the Finals. And they shouldn't. frick FIFA.