​FOXBOROUGH, MA—FIFA looked across the Atlantic every March as college basketball fans chased the NCAA Tournament’s fever and felt that familiar twinge of envy that grips other sports leagues. True to form, FIFA didn’t just admire the bracket from afar; it grabbed it. The expanded 48-team World Cup format that debuted in 2026 became a reality. Purists groaned, traditionalists teased, but what began as a cash grab—more programming equals more money—has evolved into the tournament’s strongest asset. The expanded field has produced more thrilling matches with more at stake in each one, a priceless unintended consequence FIFA could only hope for.
Fans have benefited too. If you expected a diluted product with a bloated knockout stage, you weren’t watching Monday’s matchup at Gillette Stadium between Paraguay and Germany. Paraguay, a team that had been a fringe factor at best this century, pushed Germany, a perennial giant, to penalties and emerged victorious. That drama followed a Japan-Brazil contest won by Brazil in extra time after a first-half deficit, a reminder of the upper echelon’s edge and how two powerhouses—carrying nine World Cup titles between them—could be stretched to the limit with four rounds of group-stage play still ahead. It felt like top-tier soccer theater in two back-to-back windows.
Canada’s stoppage-time winner against South Africa in the first-round 32 also underscored the pace and excitement of the new format. It’s a small sample, but so far, so good—an accurate snapshot of the tournament, from the quality of play to the positive reception in North America and the effectiveness of the World Cup’s rollout here.
No one should forget that FIFA’s drive for universal dominance and steady revenue opened this door. If they’re going to cash in, fans are evidently the beneficiaries. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FIFA expanding World Cup to 48 teams was greedy, but fans benefit | Opinion.