"I believe that 48 teams is the right number. It's less than 25% for 211 countries who are affiliated to FIFA. That means one team out of four has a chance to participate. That means still 75% of the teams are not there."
"I'm quite optimistic, because to qualify you need to be beat the teams of your confederation, and that's a sign of quality, it's just down to results,"
"The teams are not there by coincidence because they've been invited. [They're] here because they've beaten some teams in their confederation, but have a quality, and you look at the playoffs now, the quality of the players and the quality of the teams that we played there. So I'm optimistic about that."
The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams and will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. FIFA leadership endorses the expansion to 48 teams as the appropriate size, representing fewer than 25% of the 211 FIFA-affiliated countries and offering about one in four nations qualification opportunity. Qualification remains competitive because teams must beat confederation opponents to reach the finals. The FIFA U17 World Cup used a 48-team format and delivered unexpectedly strong quality, and recent playoff performances showcased capable players and teams, supporting optimism that expansion will not unduly dilute tournament standards.
Read at ESPN.com
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