Sports Talk

Unpopular opinion: 48 teams is too many and the group stage will drag

Before everyone gets swept up tomorrow: I think the expanded format is going to water down the group stage. More teams means more games where one side is just hoping not to get battered, and with the best third-placed teams going through too, a lot of big nations will be through before their last game even starts.

I get the argument that it's good for smaller football countries to get a shot, I'm not against that in principle. I just think there was a sweet spot and 32 was it.

Happy to be proven wrong in a month. Who's with me and who thinks I'm being a grump?