64 Teams in 2030

They went from 13 to 16, so not exactly a challenge.

Got outvoted last time and will get outvoted this time. Frankly, opposing it again will simply make Infantino structure a version where UEFA gets less bids again. There's so many more votes outside of UEFA.

The rest of the World hates UEFA in soccer terms, and very often just in very real terms.

 

I speculate they can garner sufficient political support from outside Europe to block it.

They have been supporting development in Africa, Concacaf and Oceania for a while now and only in April signed new MoUs with those three continents.

The four of them together can stop this proposal which would only add more teams which don't bring any value to the World Cup: Haiti, Iraq, Jordan, Panama, Tunisia and Uzbekistan were all eliminated without earning a point between them,

 

I would say of those you listed only Panama, Iraq, and Tunisia didn't bring any value, imo. The rest at least brought a brief period of excitement in one or two matches.

 

48 teams worked better than anticipated. Not many horror blowouts. But it is scraping the edge of acceptable. Any more and it might be farcical.

I do like the length of the tournament with 48. The group stage at 32 leaves me wanting more. At 64, however, you probably have too many games and overstays its welcome.

 

Yeah, but there will be so many games being played simultaneously we won't be stuck with only 1 game to watch that's going to be a blow out.

 

This is why going to 64 doesn't bother me to much. The group stage is more about vibes, especially with so many games a day. As long as there are a few upsets to give us the perception that every game matters the energy will take care of the rest. It will feel more like the NCAA tournament but not sure that's a bad thing. Maybe sell it to the brits as being like the 3rd round of the FA Cup

 

That was my theory on how to do the 48 team tournament several years ago, nobody was buying though lol. I think it would be pretty damn fun, though it would likely create more upsets.

 

Then they will increase it 256 and have to create new countries just to fill it. Or maybe create a new tournament just for those after 128 who miss out. Could call in the IIT (International Invitational Tournament).

 

I assume UEFA is opposed to expansion because they worry they’ll make less from a larger World Cup than they do from having more meaningful qualifiers?

 

How the elimination round bracket of 32 is determined will be critical.

If it's like the current system ("A1 vs D2"), then we're going to get unfortunate R32 elimination matchups like we just saw with Netherlands v Morocco in R16. Neither of those teams should have gone out that early.

Perhaps do a second draw for the knockouts with two pots drawn from the surviving 1st/2nd place from each group? There are probably other systems.

 

Eh, gives you more motivation to win the group if you know your 32 game could be against a really big team.

 

Same thing happens at some point. Germany went out to paraguay. Eventually you gotta just win the games in front of you.

 

What Conmebol and FIFA are overlooking is that qualifying games are important to all national associations because they not only generate revenue but also maintain the profile of national teams between major competitions. Downgrading their value is a foolish move particularly when adding 16 teams would only detract from the World Cup itself.

Expanded FIFA competitions are also draining commercial revenue from continental and domestic competitions, which is a common complaint across Europe. If FIFA hits its budgeted revenue for the 2027-30 cycle, it's revenues would have trebled from the 2015-18 cycle. That's unsustainable and damaging the wider game.

 

Yeah. I won't get too up for qualifying since I"ll know as long as we don't crap the bed.... again we are a lock for qualifying.
What if we win at home and forfeit our away games so we don't have to subject our players to the hellholes that are qualifying venues in Central America?