More games, more controversy - the good and bad of biggest World Cup yet

Fifa president Gianni Infantino promised the 2026 World Cup would be the "biggest event in the history of mankind." Infantino likened the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada to 104 Super Bowls in one month. For the first time, the World Cup featured 48 teams, with Curacao, Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan making their debuts. Mandatory, three-minute hydration breaks were implemented, enabling broadcasters to cash in with commercials. High ticket prices caused controversy. The politicizing of the World Cup began before the tournament with visa issues and Iran's participation, then US President Donald Trump intervened to get Florian Balogun's red card overturned. Pierlugi Collina, Fifa's head of referees, waged war on time-wasting and pushed through a raft of law changes.

Cape Verde's qualification for the knockout rounds vindicated Gianni Infantino's decision to expand the tournament to 48 teams. Cape Verde, an archipelago with 530,000 people, claimed draws against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia to finish second. Curacao claimed a point against Ecuador after a 7-1 thrashing by Germany. DR Congo claimed a draw against Portugal and got out of their group.