Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz has criticised FIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams, arguing that the enlarged format has diminished the prestige of qualifying for football’s biggest tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to feature 48 nations, following FIFA’s decision in 2017 under president Gianni Infantino to increase the number of participating teams from 32.
FIFA said the expansion would provide greater access for countries around the world and allow more fans to experience the World Cup. However, critics have argued that the move was largely driven by financial considerations and the desire to increase the governing body’s revenues.
Despite guiding Ghana into the Round of 32 as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams, Queiroz questioned whether teams finishing third in their groups should progress to the knockout stage.
Speaking after Ghana’s 2-1 defeat to Croatia in Philadelphia on Saturday, the veteran Portuguese coach said expanding qualification had reduced the tournament’s exclusivity.
“I believe that value comes when things are rare. The number of teams that can qualify for this competition can turn it into something vulgar and ordinary. When so many teams can qualify, is the value still rare? That would seem debatable to me, but it is only my opinion,” he said.
Queiroz, 73, became the oldest coach to win a World Cup match when Ghana defeated Panama in Toronto on June 17. That victory, combined with a draw against England, was enough to secure Ghana’s place in the knockout rounds.
Appointed Ghana’s head coach in April, Queiroz also became only the second manager after the late Bora Milutinović to appear at five consecutive FIFA World Cups. He previously guided Portugal to the 2010 tournament and Iran to the next three editions, while also leading South Africa to the 2002 World Cup.
The experienced coach argued that World Cup qualification should remain highly competitive rather than becoming increasingly accessible.
“The real success now in South America would be in not qualifying,” he said, noting that six of the continent’s 10 nations now qualify automatically, while a seventh can still reach the tournament through the inter-confederation play-offs.
“Who did not qualify in Europe? The qualification tournaments start to lose their significance if everyone qualifies. Qualification should be serious, it should be very tough, very competitive.
“The World Cup should be something with meaning and significance. It should be rare. But, as you know, today money talks in the game. Where we used to talk about football, it is now moneyball.”
Queiroz’s remarks add to the ongoing debate over FIFA’s expanded World Cup format, which has been praised for giving more nations the opportunity to compete on the global stage while drawing criticism from those who believe it has reduced the exclusivity and competitiveness of qualification.