How a 48 team World Cup *could* be done right.
INTRO
Asia has one less spot (7) than the proposed change (8). Europe also has three more than the proposed number (16), because I'm a little biased & think UEFA simply must get more spots to control dilution.
In principle, I think the expansion is a good idea, however.
Africa is loaded with talent, so 8 teams, instead of the current five, sounds about right. CONCACAF restricted to six teams,(usually the six best that reach the Hex), would still provide quality, while Asia would have a couple sides who traditionally come close to qualifying, but would clinch it this time.
Using 2026 as an example, as well as the (likely) possibility that the Canada-Mexico-USA bid wins, here's what an expanded World Cup could look like, as I outline below.
PARTICIPANTS.
Hosts (3): Canada, Mexico, United States of America.
CONCACAF (3): Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras.
CONMEBOL (7): Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
AFC (7): Japan, South Korea, Iran, Australia, Iraq, Uzbekistan, China.
CAF (8): Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Tunisia, DR Congo, Egypt.
UEFA (19): Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, England, Croatia, Poland, Switzerland, Russia, Wales, Serbia, Turkey, Iceland, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Netherlands.
OFC (1): New Zealand.
POTS.
Seeded Teams - Canada, Mexico, USA, Brazil, Argentina, France, England, Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Switzerland.
Second Pot (Remaining UEFA teams & 5 best according to rankings) - Croatia, Poland, Iceland, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, Turkey, Serbia, Ukraine, Russia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, Australia.
Third Pot (Asia, CONCACAF, Africa, Oceania): Japan, Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, China, Iraq, Panama, Honduras, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Tunisia, Egypt, DR Congo, New Zealand.
GROUPS
Group A: Canada, Nigeria, Turkey
Group B: Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Iraq
Group C: France, South Korea, Peru
Group D: Chile, Tunisia, Sweden
Group E: Italy, Honduras, Czech Republic
Group F: Colombia, Ukraine, New Zealand
Group G: Switzerland, China, Ivory Coast
Group H: Mexico, Wales, DR Congo
Group I: Brazil, Serbia, Uzbekistan
Group J: Netherlands, Iceland, Ghana
Group K: Uruguay, Japan, Russia
Group L: Spain, Cameroon, Australia
Group M: England, Ecuador, Panama
Group N: Germany, Croatia, Iran
Group O: Argentina, Costa Rica, South Africa
Group P: USA, Egypt, Poland
This is a hypothetical draw that I saw done on Reddit that I would share with all of you
https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comm...be_done_right/