Home of football statistics and historyFIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 edition in North America garnered plenty of criticism.
However, strong performances by several smaller nations this summer have demonstrated the wisdom behind the governing body’s radical move.
With that in mind, read on as we assess why the World Cup expansion has delivered the desired results, despite a familiar quarter-final line-up.
Expansion fuels heightened interest in Asia
A record nine teams from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualified for the tournament, and their involvement naturally triggered increased interest.
Intriguingly, this expanded beyond the borders of the nations which qualified as fans across the region clamoured to engage with the World Cup.
That point was hammered home in Malaysia, where all 104 matches were broadcast live despite their team failing to qualify for the tournament.
The best sports betting sites in Malaysia recorded one of their busiest periods of the past few years due to the heighten increase in the World Cup.
Fans gathered late into night at local bars and restaurants to watch matched on giant projector screens, creating a vibrant atmosphere in Malaysia.
Japan and Australia made it through to the round of 32, while Iran and South Korea were unfortunate not to join them in the knockout stage.
With Asia now accounting for approximately half of the world’s regular football audience, FIFA’s expansion of the tournament is easy to justify.
The challenge now for AFC teams is to bridge the gap between themselves and nations in other regions which have a head start on them.
Europe still dominates the landscape
Africa offers a perfect example of what can be achieved when untapped football regions are afforded the opportunity to play in the World Cup.
Nine out of ten African teams reached the knockout stage this summer, highlighting the progress they have made in global terms in recent years.
Morocco have made it through to the quarter-finals for the second consecutive tournament and will fancy their chances of progressing to the last four again.
However, France will be a tough hurdle for them to overcome. Les Bleus eliminated Morocco in the semi-finals four years ago and are favourites to repeat the feat.
France are one of six European teams in the quarter-finals alongside Spain, Belgium, Norway, England and Switzerland. Argentina are South America’s sole representatives.
It was a similar story at Qatar 2022, where five of the eight quarter-finalists were European. However, only two made it through to the last four.
France, Spain, England and Argentina are expected to progress from their respective fixtures, but it would be no surprise if at least one of the underdogs upset the odds.
Regardless of what happens during the rest of the tournament, Morocco’s improvement provides AFC teams with an inspirational template they can follow.
Sustained investment in football, which has been backed by King Mohammed VI, has helped Morocco become a serious player on the global stage.
When considering the wealth of several AFC nations, it is not unreasonable to imagine that some of them could follow in Morocco’s footsteps.
FIFA has opened the door for Asia to become a big-hitter in football by staging tournaments in the region and expanding the number of teams in the events.
Knocking the top nations from Europe and South America off their perch may seem like an impossible dream for Asian nations.
However, given the enthusiasm for football in the region, it would be a brave move to suggest that it could not happen in the future.
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