The next World Cup will jump to 48 teams. Is bigger better?

Traditionalists hate it but it will bring in much more money from viewership and inspire many future players in countries which never had a chance to make it.

This will definitely make soccer stronger in the more populous countries of the world. The smaller populated countries in Europe will be against this though. I think it will be difficult for the European countries to compete.

Increasing could be positive, but 48 seems absurd. I think they've increased Asia to 8 teams to guarantee China a spot - FIFA can smell the money. But when you realise that Qatar is the fifth best Asian team in the international rankings, going to 8 is a joke.

The three more additional spots in Europe is welcome, and will remove the stress of the qualifiers for serious nations, like Italy, who didn't qualify this time.

It's a different World Cup, which requires a different strategy, course of action for qualified national teams.

Though the number of teams will increase, the number of matches will remain the same; meaning the Group Stage is short of a match. The weaker teams will have only two matches and go home.

But when you realise that Qatar is the fifth best Asian team in the international rankings, going to 8 is a joke.

I dont think so, Asian teams have shown they play at their best during the WC, European teams will have to come to realise that playing it safe during the games with the lower rank teams will cost them. 48 teams means they have more chances to be eliminated than making it through. the lower teams dont really have much to lose since the expectations of them arent as lofty as the European teams.

remember when Italy didnt even qualify!? it was almost the end of the world for them

I think its a joke driven by $$$.

It's good that Italy didn't qualify. They were given ample opportunity to do so. More places in the finals just turns the qualifying rounds into a procession and makes the finals longer, when they are long enough already. The only thing I will say is that FIFA should look at the tournament placings and decide allocations per continent for the next tournament based on them. If Asian teams do well, they should get more places at the expense of continents that fare poorly.

Just think how big the sticker albums are going to be. Kids in the UK will be going bankrupt.

Best solution is to have all 195 countries qualify and participate......yes even the Vatican gets a team. Structure like FA cup, single knockout, the bottom 150 sides start off first with the top 45 joining in later rounds. A true spectacle indeed ....imagine Maradona scoring a hand of God goal against the Vatican!

Why not make NEW World Cup for the countries that don't get qualified for World Cup?

I'm 100% sure that in the future, either China or MiddleEast countries will make New World Cup for those countries and it will be very interesting. This even should be held either one month before or one month after the World Cup.

This idea has been in my mind for many years, i think i should contact MiddleEast or China to make this happen.

No, just adding more making up the numbers teams.

Look at the best 8 this cup... And every previous W C.

Yes, of course bigger is better here. It’s about the world’s best soccer team, isn’t it? In paper theory you would have to include all countries who have at least any one soccer team to reliably decide on such a best team. Therefore 48 participating countries is nearer to the needed maximum than only 32. But still we don’t really know if the tournament winner is really the best soccer team in the world. That also could be an unknown or not participating team from anywhere else.

From Total Football to "FIFA Total World Cup Football" is positive thinking. Italy, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Turkey, Greece, Austria - they all are absent in Qatar. Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Algeria, South Africa play attractive football. India, New Zealand, China, Colombia, and several other aspirants can all contribute to making the tournament a far bigger success with more countries, more footballers, and many more fans.

I'm 100% sure that in the future, either China or MiddleEast countries will make New World Cup for those countries and it will be very interesting. This even should be held either one month before or one month after the World Cup.

It's like the Paralympics World Cup