Photo by Wikimedia Commons 2.0
For the armchair fan, an expanded FIFA World Cup can surely only be a good thing….
More teams in the tournament inevitably yields more matches that need to be played, which in turn should heighten the sense of drama and intrigue at the 2026 World Cup.
For punters and World Cup betting sites, the prospect of more fixtures within the World Cup should bring about more opportunities, both in the ante-post and in-play markets.
However, the saturation of global football is beginning to take its toll, both on the players on the pitch and the accompanying industries that come with it.
In recent times, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup are examples of tournaments that have expanded but not necessarily captured the imagination of the football watching public.
Canada, Mexico and the USA have the infrastructure and fanbase to host a 48-team World Cup and the summer of 2026 promises to be an exciting one, regardless of which team goes on to life the World Cup trophy.
The tournament expansion has given belief to the idea that FIFA World Cup 2026 betting could bring about even more shocks and upsets than ever before and the tournament is set to break revenue records for one international football competition.
However the usual front runners are in the mix for World Cup glory and FIFA World Cup betting odds are always competitive for gamblers, regardless of their betting aspirations.
The 48-team FIFA World Cup will bring about plenty of change for everybody involved and here is a look at the best arguments for and against a 48-team World Cup:
Arguments For – More Football!
Every football fan remembers their first World Cup fondly, whether it be the iconic images of Mexico 1986 and Italy 1990 or the modern incarnations such as Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
For many people, the global celebration that is a FIFA World Cup is their gateway to football, with national pride often sweeping a nation, regardless of whether they manage to go on and lift the trophy.
Expanding to a 48 team World Cup instantly gives more countries a gateway to the World Cup and in turn, more matches will be played over the month or so in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
There are 12 groups, each containing four teams, meaning there 72 individual matches in the group stages alone.
From there, the top teams in each pool progress to a last 32, which is then whittled down to a last 16, quarter finals, semi-finals and final – with a third/fourth playoff thrown in for good measure.
Any football fan would be enthused by the increase in number of games and the viewing and World Cup betting opportunities that come with that.
Arguments For – New Names
FIFA have long pioneered the idea of an open and inclusive World Cup, with teams from all over the globe coming together to compete on the biggest stage of all.
The introduction of more teams to the tournament inevitably enables more countries to be able to qualify for the World Cup proper and there are plenty of sides making their World Cup debuts in Canada, Mexico and the USA in 2026.
Cape Verde have broken new ground to qualify through the African qualifying route, while Jordan and Uzbekistan have achieved the same feat through the Asian qualifying path.
Curacao have also reached the FIFA World Cup for the first time, qualifying through CONCACAF, while DR Congo and Haiti will be playing in their first World Cups for over 50 years.
Elsewhere, Iraq return to World Cup action for the first time since Mexico 1986, while Austria, Scotland and Norway are playing in their first World Cup since France 1998.
With the World Cup being such a celebration of international football, having more teams in the mix and a wider variety of countries battling it out, is surely only a positive for the tournament as a whole.
Arguments Against – Lack of Jeopardy
Having 48 teams in the tournament from the off and with 32 qualifying for the next round, means that every country has a great chance of making it to the knockout rounds.
Only the 12 sides that finish bottom of their respective four-team groups, plus the four worst third place finishers will depart the tournament following the opening round.
For the biggest countries with plenty of expectation upon them, this expansion does give them a bit of a free hit should results not be going their way in the opening games.
In addition, the traditional ‘groups of death’ mantra appears to be very much out of the window, with FIFA being careful to use world rankings to keep the biggest hitters apart in the group stages.
Of course, every FIFA World Cup match will be box office viewing but there could be a little less jeopardy surrounding some games, especially if teams are already through to the knockout rounds.
Arguments Against – Player Burnout
With international football now filling the Northern Hemisphere summer for the UEFA Nations League and the addition of the FIFA Club World Cup in the summer of 2025, the best players on the planet are seldom off the field of play.
The UEFA Champions League final is to be held in Budapest on Saturday 30th May, with the FIFA World Cup getting underway on Thursday 11th June in Mexico City.
Meaning there are just 11 full days between the end of the domestic campaign and the start of the World Cup proper.
Consequently, it feels as if most countries will be a little under prepared for the World Cup in terms of their tactics and many players could be fatigued heading into the tournament.
Representing the country at a World Cup should serve as ample motivation for all players competing but with players being asked to play more games than ever before, burnout does feel like a very real possibility for many players and teams.
