Could the football World Cup format be more sporting and competitive?

The current 48-team format for the football World Cup is questionable, with a system where group-stage qualifiers are paired according to a scheme invented at FIFA headquarters that may be neither sport-friendly nor spectator-friendly. The article's author proposes ways to make the tournament both more sporting and more competitive.

The football World Cup format has sparked controversy for years, but with the 2026 tournament, where participation has grown from 32 to 48 teams, criticism has become even sharper.

The current system raises questions

Under the existing format, the World Cup features 48 teams divided into 12 groups, with four teams in each. Thirty-two teams advance from the group stage and are then paired for knockout matches according to a scheme developed at FIFA headquarters, for instance, the winner of Group A plays the third-place team from Group E, the runner-up from Group B faces the winner of Group G, and so on.

The main problem with such a system is that group-stage results do not always carry logical weight in shaping the final standings. Teams that progress through the group stage strongly may not necessarily face an easier path in the knockout phase, as pairings are determined by complex cross-tables rather than merit.

What could be done differently?

A more sporting approach would mean that group-stage results are reflected directly and transparently in the final tournament, with stronger group winners facing weaker qualifiers from other groups, rather than being paired according to complicated bracket schemes.

It should also be questioned whether the participation of 48 teams actually raises the sporting standard of the tournament or rather dilutes it, since teams that would not reach the final tournament in stronger competition now qualify.

Ultimately, the question is simpler than it seems: should the World Cup be primarily a sporting championship or a business event where FIFA wants to involve as many of the world's football nations as possible? The current format appears to serve the latter purpose.