Now that the 48 team cup is 8 games to win it, there is much less chances of an underdog reaching the semis. It will be max quarterfinals. But it might make it easier for top 5-10 in the world range teams to win the whole thing, because top 3-5ish teams have more chances of stumbling in the knockouts. And already this effect was happening, if you think about it the "all time traditional top 3" favorites Brazil, Italy, and Germany, have all gone downhill, or at least got significantly inconsistent in the past 10-15 years. France has been the most consistent top team recently. But it is now a toss up between more top teams. There is more variability. I mean to think a team like Portugal could win the whole thing was always