Noticed today that Meijer has 50% off their World Cup apparel. Picked up a dryfit material shirt for $12.50 for anyone looking for some discounted gear. They had a mix of short and long sleeve shirts, some Mexico gear as well.
Gianni Infantino wants a 64-team World Cup. Well golly gee, why not make it a 128-team World Cup? That Vanuatu-Brazil or Mozambique-Colombia game would surely bring the rating$ in, amirite? https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cj9gm31jwg8o
The math is simple, and you don't need a calculator; you just follow the votes, which follow the money. Ask yourself: how many minnow, barely credible national teams are (or at least can believe that they are) within striking distance of that last 16 slots? And how much money did each of the 16 teams who made up the spots opened up this year pocket when they jumped from 32 to 48? I'll save you the Google: every team got $10 million just for showing up, plus another $2.5 milllion for "preparation expenses". Now for the teams that matter, that's nice pocket money that will let them hire a couple more nephews for make work jobs, but it's not game changing. But for federations that survive almost entirely on the $1 million yearly FIFA stipend (ie. most of the Caribbean, most of Africa, etc.) that's hitting the lottery; leased cars, fancy offices and expense account meals all around. Huzzah! Infantino doesn't give a shit about soccer, he gives a shit about keeping his job, which FIFA demands, by tradition, is equivalent to a head of state, and he gets it by blatantly bribing enough federation presidents to get 103 votes. He was pushing hard for a 2 year World Cup cycle until UEFA threatened to go off on their own if he tried it and he has frequently expressed the desire for a 64 team World Cup. This is music to the ears of the head of the Mozambique federation, who has spent the last 4 weeks living like a potentate in various Four Seasons hotels across the fruited plane. Infantino plays the game well.
It was always going to happen so they could go back to only having teams in the knockout round that finished first or second in their groups. It's much like college football's stupid decision to change to 12 teams first instead of just going straight to 16. This World Cup was a gift to FIFA with "proving" (via a sample size of 1) that expanding won't water down the tournament. In reality, this year is an anomaly. This was the most wide open field in recent memory with most of the typical juggernauts in between generations of talent, either too young or too old. There will be a lot more blowouts in a typical World Cup even if they stay at 48. And when they go to 64, the number of 3+ goal margins in the group stage is going to balloon.
What will be interesting is how quickly they'll implement it. Given all the issues that the next crop of hosts are having with their stadiums, I can't see them going to 64 since there won't be enough adequate venues. Saudi has plenty of money but a finite amount of slaves, er sorry, I meant contractors. I'll guess the change goes into effect in 2038 when the World Cup is back in the United States.
The only drag on this program is the Europeans. As the current final four demonstrates - as if we needed more proof - international soccer is UEFA. Everyone else is there to provide local color. I'm not patient enough to go down each semifinalist's roster and count how many of the players are on European professional teams, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is 100%. Or damn close, aside from Messi.. They're already pretty unhappy about making their expensive talent play extra games. At the end of the tourney, FIFA pockets billions and the teams that developed the players and pays them ludicrous sums get back tired, dinged up - or worse - guys without so much as a Candygram. There's a limit to how far UEFA is going to let FIFA make King Midas money on their backs. It will be interesting.
I'm not as sure that this year was an anomaly. Back in the days of the 16 team cups, it was rare for players to play outside their home countries (and if they did, they often were not selected for the national team). It was rare for players from minnows to even play in a big league. And there was very little TV coverage outside the home countries for those domestic leagues. Though it's still baffling how Spain never won a cup in that era considering how dominant Spanish team were in the early European Cups. Now? EPL and to a lesser extent other leagues are everywhere on TV. You have a German coaching England and the leading scorer in the Bundesliga is English. Good players from "minnows" do get to play in the biggest leagues. Heck, my team has a starter from Indonesia. Yeah, Indonesia. In the Bundesliga. That said, I'm not for a 64 team cup--logistics alone. Few could host this, unless you'd want to have it in the US every year.
Based on how FIFA like to rotate continents, with Europe and Africa (and South America) co hosting 2030, and 2034 going to Asia and Oceania out of the running for anything then North America is up for 2038. Of course FIFA could just change their own rules
There will be no issue with 2030, it's being hosted by six countries lol, including one with more than enough grounds to handle the games and training.
64 countries is 30% of FIFA. It's about 20% for March Madness. Maybe Italy will finally qualify again....
Googled him to see who he was, instantly recognized him from the photo. Yikes lol. Players better make sure to bringing their kicking boots instead of their shooting boots.
Oh yeah, US could definitely handle 64, not sure why FIFA wouldn't include Mexico or Canada though. I was referencing Spain in my previous post btw for 2030. Could easily add in a few spots across the peninsula in Portugal as well.
Whoever made this Take a fecking bow This is class pic.twitter.com/odR454lv2E— Ben 🚜 (@2022Benjii) July 12, 2026
Corey Parker as the AR. I like to think that the goof in the 2015 mls cup final motivated him, even though he was considered one of the best ARs already at that time