Global football has become somewhat of a joke in recent years. The World Cup was awarded to countries which have to be considered autocracies or oligarchies. The number of teams participating has multiplied since the first post-war edition of 1950, when there were only 13 teams competing in Uruguay. The format with 32 teams appears to be sufficient for several reasons:

1. It lasts a month – enough time for most players to recover, except for the top nations who are likely to reach the latter stages of the tournament.
2. At the same time it’s not too long for the spectators to lose interest.
3. The number of games that are boring is relatively low.

There exists the idea of having a one-off 64-team tournament in 2030 to mark the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup.

Cynically, we could equally ask “why not invite 100 nations?”

Since it’s the 100th anniversary of FIFA’s top tournament, this only makes sense. Yet, there is a catch to this.

An increased number of teams almost automatically means more games that will be boring for the public and therefore may result in falling attendance at the grounds but also and way more important: less spectators on the screens which has a direct impact on advertising revenue for FIFA. Already, some of those group matches and games in the first knockout rounds are tedious affairs.

Yet, as is tradition, once an idea has been born and floated to the public, the latter may become susceptible to the idea and a spiral has been set in motion and the idea may just become reality.

In line with our current times, people like the FIFA president, may go ahead with this idea and may just implement it. Just because he can and there is little to no opposition within the governing body to scrutinise the issue and come up with enough counter arguments and voting power to overturn such an idea. FIFA, like many other sporting bodies have been hollowed out and money has been at the core of it. Money and dependencies.

For now, it is an idea, raised by a member of the FIFA board. If it stays that way remains to be seen.

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