I looked but it seemed to be still in question...Will all three host countries receive auto bids in 2026? If not announced yet, do you have some insight or an opinion?

tia

It's not been announced but I think everyone expects all the hosts to get auto-admits. It's a new expanded format, so everything is up in the air and unclear at the moment.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/usa-2026-world-cup-qualify-rules-format-fifa-usmnt/ghyer5f6vqlzueljuff9go9k

We're gonna get some weird CONCACAF teams that make e cut, teams like T&T, Guatemala, Jamaica, El Salvador…

With the expanded field and extra CONCACAF slots, the USA will never not qualify again.

After missing 2018, I'm okay with giving up the interesting drama and excitement that comes with qualifying in our region if we never miss another World Cup again…

Edit: Missing 2018 hit me hard in a bad way.

I look at the expanded field like bowl season…it means more soccer. If I don't want to watch Vietnam vs. North Macedonia, I won't watch.

And maybe Italy will finally qualify again.

Furlock Bones said:

---

Ghost of Andrew Eaton said:

---

I look at the expanded field like bowl season…it means more soccer. If I don't want to watch Vietnam vs. North Macedonia, I won't watch.

And maybe Italy will finally qualify again.

---

if this had been implemented for the 2022 WC, Italy would still have not qualified.

---

Italy, Spain, and Germany have not won a knockout round game since they last won their championship. Bizarre.

What is the general consensus here on the expansion?

I think the 3 team groups is problematic. First of all, it's going to be way too easy to get out of the group stage. Makes the group games have lower stakes.

Secondly, it makes much more likely that one fluke game could make a great team 2nd in their group. For example, Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia was a setback this time, but it didn't keep Argentina from winning their group. There were enough games that the proper order was reestablished. But if they only play 2 games each, then one loss like that could easily push them to 2nd. Then you might have subsquent teams in other brackets playing to lose since they do not want to win their group and face Argentina. Not playing the final game simultaneously anymore would make that outcome certain.

Is it just me or am I missing something?

World Cup needed more teams from around the world. Too many spots taken by UEFA. The only way to do it was to expand. I would have been happy for UEFA to not get anymore spots. I do hate how this upsets the 4 team group setup.

Chuck Cunningham said:

---

Quote:

---

for one am excited at the prospective Vietnam v. Mauritius matchup at the 2034 WC.

---

And that game will be at Jerry world and the only match i can get tickets for.

---

exactly.....

Furlock Bones said:

---

World Cup needed more teams from around the world. Too many spots taken by UEFA. The only way to do it was to expand. I would have been happy for UEFA to not get anymore spots. I do hate how this upsets the 4 team group setup.

---

tUEFA has more teams that should be in, at least hopefully Norway gets in so we can all see Haaland.

I really don't like the 3 team group idea and would prefer they go to 12 groups of 4. I know it means byes for group winners but maybe that makes the group stage even better

I'm not necessarily opposed to having a more inclusive WC. I do think the current format is pretty much perfect however and I just don't see myself getting hyped to watch more games than we currently have opportunities to see. And at the heart of this change is a desire to rake in more cash for an organization that can't be trusted with just about anything, so that's a consideration as well.

I thought FIFA officially nixed the 3-team groups?

Not officially. The only thing that I've seen official from Darth Infantino is that after having seen the excitement of the final group games they seriously need to reconsider 4 team groups vs. 3.

They have also floated the idea of a larger (64?) team tournament with some teams prequalified to groups and other lower teams playing home and home knockouts similar to the Champions League. Because more games = more money.

Mathguy64 said:

---

They have also floated the idea of a larger (64?) team tournament with some teams prequalified to groups and other lower teams playing home and home knockouts similar to the Champions League. Because more games = more money.

---

Does FIFA get money for the qualification games? Isn't that sort of the same thing?

aTmAg said:

---

Mathguy64 said:

---

They have also floated the idea of a larger (64?) team tournament with some teams prequalified to groups and other lower teams playing home and home knockouts similar to the Champions League. Because more games = more money.

---

Does FIFA get money for the qualification games? Isn't that sort of the same thing?

---

I have no clue. But these would have branded as WC matches and the teams could say they made the WC. That way Italy could never miss it again

Mathguy64 said:

---

aTmAg said:

---

Mathguy64 said:

---

They have also floated the idea of a larger (64?) team tournament with some teams prequalified to groups and other lower teams playing home and home knockouts similar to the Champions League. Because more games = more money.

---

Does FIFA get money for the qualification games? Isn't that sort of the same thing?

---

I have no clue. But these would have branded as WC matches and the teams could say they made the WC. That way Italy could never miss it again

---

That's a bit silly. We already have that exact thing, it's called qualifying…

aggiephoenix02 said:

---

Mathguy64 said:

---

aTmAg said:

---

Mathguy64 said:

---

They have also floated the idea of a larger (64?) team tournament with some teams prequalified to groups and other lower teams playing home and home knockouts similar to the Champions League. Because more games = more money.

---

Does FIFA get money for the qualification games? Isn't that sort of the same thing?

---

I have no clue. But these would have branded as WC matches and the teams could say they made the WC. That way Italy could never miss it again

---

That's a bit silly. We already have that exact thing, it's called qualifying…

---

As Italy is well aware qualifying =/= playing in. And the confederations have the rights to their own qualifiers for TV and other branding revenue. FIFA would like nothing better than to widen that net for themselves.

In 1934 the Mexico team traveled by boat to Italy to try and qualify for the World Cup, all they had to do was win one game and they were in. Instead they lost to the USA, didn't qualify, and immediately took a long boat ride back home to Mexico…

aggiephoenix02 said:

---

In 1934 the Mexico team traveled by boat to Italy to try and qualify for the World Cup, all they had to do was win one game and they were in. Instead they lost to the USA, didn't qualify, and immediately took a long boat ride back home to Mexico…

---

And they were torpedoed by a German uboat.

Ended up drifting in the ocean for 2 years only to find a small cat in the carribean.

And now you know why Trinidad and Tobago beat us in the 2018 qualifying.

Also started WW2.