11-12-2022, 12:14 AM
(10-12-2022, 11:59 PM)Brekkie Wrote: As for 2026 - it'll be a BBC/ITV split as usual but it'll be interesting to see how the new format affects the value because this tournament more than most has shown how perfectly structured the 32-team structure is with some big clashes in the group stages and then relatively quick through the knock out stage. The change to 48 teams may mean an extra 16 matches, but it'll keep the top 16 seeds apart (in 16 groups of 3) and end the drama of the final simultaneous group games, and although this tournament has shown upsets can always happen that extra round of 32 meanas you potentially have 64 matches before the tournament really gets going.
I think the consensus is increasingly that FIFA are going to drop the 16x3 format in favour of a 12x4 format - which actually means even more games (104!). Would clog up schedules even more and presumably have to last at least a month-and-a-half.