Carlos Queiroz has launched a blistering attack on FIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams, branding the tournament’s new format a "vulgar, ordinary competition" driven by financial greed rather than sporting integrity. The Ghana manager, speaking after his side scraped into the knockout stages as one of the best third-placed teams, argued that the dilution of quality has stripped the World Cup of its prestige. "Value comes from rarity," Queiroz declared. "When 48 nations qualify, the exclusivity disappears. The World Cup should be a privilege, not a participation trophy."
Queiroz’s criticism cuts deeper than mere nostalgia. The 73-year-old, who has managed 11 national teams across five decades, pointed to the devaluation of qualification campaigns as evidence of FIFA’s misplaced priorities. In South America, six of the continent’s 10 teams now qualify automatically, with a seventh through inter-confederation playoffs. "The real achievement in South America would be failing to qualify," he said. "If everyone gets in, the qualifiers lose their meaning. The World Cup should be the pinnacle of a gruelling journey, not a consolation prize for mediocrity."
The financial motives behind the expansion are impossible to ignore. FIFA’s own projections estimate the 2026 tournament will generate $11 billion in revenue, a 40% increase on the 2022 edition. Queiroz’s reference to "moneyball"—a term borrowed from baseball’s data-driven revolution—was deliberate. "Today, money talks," he said. "Where we once discussed football, we now discuss balance sheets. The decisions are made in boardrooms, not on training pitches."
Yet Queiroz’s own team has benefited from the expanded format. Ghana’s 1-1 draw with England and a 2-0 win over Panama secured their place in the last 32, a scenario that would have seen them eliminated under the old 32-team structure. The irony is not lost on the Portuguese coach, who became the second manager in history to lead five consecutive World Cup campaigns after Bora Milutinovic. "I told my players the real World Cup starts now," he said. "The group stage was just a warm-up. The knockout rounds are where legends are made—or broken."
One overlooked consequence of the 48-team format is the tactical homogenisation it encourages. Smaller nations, now guaranteed a place, often adopt ultra-defensive systems to survive the group stage, knowing that a single point can secure progression. Cape Verde, with a population smaller than Wyoming, reached the knockout stages by parking the bus against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. Their reward? A last-32 tie against Argentina. While the romanticism of the underdog is preserved, the quality of football suffers. Queiroz’s Ghana, for instance, averaged just 42% possession in their group games, the lowest of any knockout qualifier.
The expansion also exposes a structural flaw in squad management. The tournament’s new schedule—104 matches over 39 days—has forced teams to rotate aggressively, with many opting for squad sizes of 26 or more. Ghana’s medical staff reported a 30% increase in soft-tissue injuries compared to the 2022 World Cup, a trend mirrored across the tournament. Queiroz, who has previously managed at Real Madrid and Manchester United, warned that the physical toll could deter top players from participating. "If the World Cup becomes a marathon of mediocrity, the stars will stay home," he said. "And without the stars, what are we left with?"
Behind the scenes, the expansion has triggered a power struggle within FIFA’s member associations. The allocation of additional slots—four each for Africa and Asia, three for North America, and one for Oceania—has been met with resistance from European and South American federations, who argue that the move dilutes the tournament’s competitive edge. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has privately described the format as "a circus," while CONMEBOL has threatened to explore alternative competitions if the expansion continues beyond 2026. Queiroz’s comments will embolden these dissenters, providing ammunition for a potential revolt at FIFA’s next congress.
Queiroz’s final warning was directed at the players themselves. "The World Cup is not just about being there," he said. "It’s about earning your place." His Ghana side, facing Colombia in the last 32, will need more than luck to progress. The expanded format may have given them a lifeline, but it has also exposed the fragility of their footballing identity. As the tournament enters its knockout phase, the question remains: has FIFA sacrificed the soul of the World Cup for a fatter wallet?
