The 2022 FIFA World Cup ranks among the most entertaining editions in the history of the competition. It has produced several impressive results, including Saudi Arabia defeating Argentina and Senegal defeating reigning champions France. Four-time FIFA World Cup winners Germany and two-time winners Senegal have also failed to advance beyond the group stage.
The current 32-team FIFA World Cup format has been in play since 1998. 32 teams are divided into eight groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group qualify for the round of 16, where each group winner plays the runners-up from the other group.
FIFA ruining the World Cup
The 32-team FIFA World Cup format is a nice, clean format, which has been working perfectly well ever since it started playing. However, FIFA plans to screw it up by introducing a new 48-team format. The FIFA Council approved the plan in January 2017.
The 48 teams will be divided into 16 groups of three teams. The two best teams from each group will advance to the round of 16, which will have a total of 32 teams.
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In the current format, each team plays three games during the group stage, whereas in a 48-team format each team will only play two group stage games. Teams that go through a four-year World Cup qualification process to only play two games are not ideal.
Currently, the final match of the group stage is played at the same time, which reduces the chances of a result collision. However, in the new format, one team has to watch the last match of the group stage.
During the 1982 FIFA World Cup, Austria deliberately lost 1-0 to West Germany to secure qualification to the knockout stages for both teams at the expense of Algeria, who had already played their last group game. The 48-team format puts the risk of repetition very high.
Arsene Wenger on the 48-team World Cup
Finding 16 more teams worthy enough to enter the tournament is also a huge task. FIFA’s Head of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger recently said: “It means we will have to find 16 more good teams.”
“I am convinced that if the teams, the countries have more opportunities to go on the world stage, they will do more for the development (of football) within that country.”
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FIFA’s decision to change the format has received much criticism from fans and experts alike since its approval. It is believed that it will spoil the fun of the competition.
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