New faces, gulfs in class and flawed drama: how 48 teams changed the World Cup

The first men’s World Cup to feature 48 teams has prompted a familiar debate in international football: whether expansion has broadened the game’s reach or diluted its elite standard.

In a report published after the tournament, The Guardian Football said the enlarged format delivered both clear gains and obvious drawbacks. The event, won by Spain, ran for 104 matches over five-and-a-half weeks across North America, giving many more nations and players a place on football’s biggest stage.

The expansion was announced less than a year after Gianni Infantino succeeded Sepp Blatter as Fifa president. At the time, reactions were sharply divided. Diego Maradona welcomed the change, arguing that it gave every country a greater dream and could renew passion for the sport. Joachim Löw, then the Germany manager, took the opposite view, warning that widening the field could weaken the competition’s sporting value and damage quality over time.

The first 48-team edition appears to have given support to both positions. On one hand, the larger tournament created more opportunities for new teams and fresh faces, widening the World Cup’s global footprint. On the other, the sheer scale of the competition raised questions about whether the standard could remain consistently high across such a long schedule.

The Guardian’s account suggests the tournament’s mixed outcome may only sharpen discussion about football’s future. If 48 teams already produce a blend of promise and unevenness, the possibility of a 64-team World Cup will inevitably invite further scrutiny from fans, coaches and administrators.

This report is based on a monitored public feed from The Guardian Football. Source: The Guardian Football - https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/22/how-48-teams-changed-the-world-cup