My first thought is always: More football is good football! It means more countries get a chance to live the dream. I love the idea of seeing a new nation, a real underdog, finally make it to the big stage. You know, like the joke I saw on another forum: “I hear they may have to increase it to 64 countries so Republic of Ireland get a shot.” It’s funny, but it shows how much everyone wants their team in!
But here is where I get worried. The old 32-team format was perfect because every single game was a fight for survival. Now, with 12 groups of four, and the best third-place teams going through, are we going to see a lot of boring matches? Will the quality go down?
I’m afraid FIFA is doing this just for the money and TV deals, not for the game itself. We might end up with a group stage that feels slow, just to get to the knockout rounds. I really hope I’m wrong, because the World Cup should be the best of the best, not just the most.
What do you all think? Is this a great move for the global game, or will it just ruin the excitement of the group stage? Will the extra teams bring more magic, or just more long flights for the players?
