The World Cup Will Feature 48 Teams

By FIFA's decision, the World Cup will undergo significant changes starting in 2026, with 48 teams participating. The increase in the number of teams will significantly boost FIFA's revenue and satisfy financial sponsors worldwide. Does the increase in teams also enhance the importance and technical quality of these competitions? This is the question of the day in world football. Gianni Infantino, the new president of FIFA, had promised to increase the number of teams during his election campaign. Today, FIFA Council members approved this proposal. The format of the competitions will also change. The matches are set to be held in 16 groups of three teams each. From each group, two teams will advance to the next stage to compete in the Round of 16. If two teams are equal in the group stage, the penalty shootout rule will be applied to determine the advancing team. In this version of the World Cup, 80 matches will be held, whereas with the current format of 32 teams, 64 matches are played. There was another proposed plan to hold the World Cup with 40 teams in 10 groups of four teams or eight groups of five teams, but ultimately, the 16-group plan was approved. The continental quotas in the 48-team World Cup will be as follows: Europe will have 16 teams, a slight increase compared to other continents. In the 1978 World Cup, Europe's quota was ten times that of Asia, but now, with eleven titles, Europe does not even have twice Asia's quota! Africa will have 9.5 teams. Asia, in less than half a century, will rise from one quota in the 1978 World Cup, which was Iran's, to 8.5 quotas in the 2026 World Cup. Interestingly, South America's quota will be less than Asia's. This region, which hosted the first World Cup and has won it nine times, will only have 6.5 teams. North and Central America will also receive a quota equivalent to South America's. These two regions do not have equal technical positions and global standings for their teams. Oceania will also have an independent quota. FIFA's new plan has supporters like Diego Maradona, who had a prominent presence at the FIFA Best ceremony on Monday night. According to FIFA's research, the organization's revenue from hosting the World Cup will increase to over five billion pounds. The 1930 World Cup (Uruguay) was held with 13 teams. The number of teams reached 16 in the next edition hosted by Italy, but again, only 13 teams participated in the 1950 World Cup, the first after World War II. From the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland to the 1978 World Cup, the competition featured 16 teams. In the 1982 World Cup (Spain), the number of teams increased to 24, which was also implemented in the next edition. In the 1998 World Cup in France, 32 teams participated, which also led to Iran's qualification through the knockout stage. During the period when the World Cup featured 32 teams, Iran has participated three times and is now on the verge of a fourth qualification. Will the increase in World Cup teams to 48 maintain the prestige of qualifying for the World Cup as a dream? Will the intensity of qualifying matches in many parts of the world diminish? Infantino believes that everyone is excited about FIFA's decision. However, La Liga intends to sue FIFA in the Brussels and Nyon courts, as they believe that the increase in teams will seriously harm domestic leagues, and they are seeking support from other major European leagues. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, president of the European Club Association, says that for the sake of fans and players, we ask FIFA not to increase the number of World Cup teams. Politics and advertising should not take precedence over football. Given the number of FIFA member teams, one team will qualify for the World Cup for every 4.37 teams!