48 teams in the WC finals

[Lev Bronstein]

And still Scotland will struggle to qualify

[Wonderwall]

It's just a money spinning exercise to swell the FIFA coffers. What a load of shite, 3 team groups with the top 2 qualifying.

[PeterParker]

I"ve put a special wine bottle in the fridge to open when Romania will play Burkina Faso in the epilogue of group J.

[Tony P]

You'll need to take out a second mortgage to complete the Panini sticker book.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Finland will still nevermqualify in my lifetime so why not make it 148 while they are at it.

[Wonderwall]

Just cap it at 211 for all fifa members and cancel domestic leagues.

[zuricity]

Just what is the point ? Stupid idea only for money. Mind, England will still go home in the first knockout game.

[PeterParker]

Just what is the point ? Stupid idea only for money. Mind, England will still go home in the first knockout game.

But did I read that correct, are they giving Europe just 3 new spots? Are they mad?

[sheblue]

Wow greed is the winner again. 80+ matches i believe. Really cant see the benefits apart from the extra money for fifa.
We will surely see more countries sharing it or joint / tripple / multiple countries hosting it. Its all getting a bit messy. All for the money....

[CTID Hants]

It's just a money spinning exercise to swell the FIFA coffers. What a load of shite, 3 team groups with the top 2 qualifying.

Exactly, i read on the BBC that According to Fifa's own research, revenue is predicted to increase to £5.29bn for a 48-team tournament, giving a potential profit rise of £521m as a result.

So instead of 12 stadiums (min 40K capacity & 80K for final) they are going to need what 15-16 stadiums? Currently if England (not UK/GB) went for it we can only muster 11 with capacity of over 40K which includes Wembley.

[Moonchesteri]

WOOHOOO! I CANT WAIT FOR THIS NICARAGUA V TAJIKISTAN WORLD CUP MATCH TO BEGIN!

[Moonchesteri]

The only good thing about these changes is that we have one group game less.

[Nigels Tackle]

It's just a money spinning exercise to swell the FIFA coffers. What a load of shite, 3 team groups with the top 2 qualifying.

Exactly, i read on the BBC that According to Fifa's own research, revenue is predicted to increase to £5.29bn for a 48-team tournament, giving a potential profit rise of £521m as a result.

So instead of 12 stadiums (min 40K capacity & 80K for final) they are going to need what 15-16 stadiums? Currently if England (not UK/GB) went for it we can only muster 11 with capacity of over 40K which includes Wembley.

no surprise that the usa is favourite to host the newly expanded competion in 2026

[Justified logic]

[nottsblue]

Piss poor decision. All that will happen is more shite will be there leading to more mismatches. It simply won't get going until the quarter finals. So not really much change there.

[iwasthere2012]

I won't have much interest in the next two WC's.
Looks like the one after it will be of even less interest.

[Cocacolajojo]

I won't have much interest in the next two WC's.
Looks like the one after it will be of even less interest.

Same for me.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Apart from generating more profit for FIFA to get their grubby hands on, this decision will go down well in Asia and Africa.

It'll make the position of the 'Sepp Blatter Mk II' numpty, who is now running the whole corrupt show, even more secure.

Moreover, as Nigel's Tackle posted, the USA are favourites to host the 2026 competition and this might even be construed as an inducement for our American cousins to curb the FBI's 'interest' in FIFA's wrong-doings.

[Slim]

Wonder why we even bother with qualifiers, let's just have every nation show up.

[Moonchesteri]

Wonder why we even bother with qualifiers, let's just have every nation show up.

Remove all qualifiers and friendlies from football calendar and put all the countries to the competition.

I'd do that and also make it a knockout competition and put all countries in the hat and none of this seeding shite. An honest draw and if it's Brazil v Argies in the first round so be it