Wilson Ranks 2026 World Cup Below 2022 and 2018 as 64-Team Expansion Fears Grow
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 20
Wilson Ranks 2026 World Cup Below 2022 and 2018 as 64-Team Expansion Fears Grow
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 20
Summary
Jonathan Wilson judged the 2026 World Cup "not great"—good on the pitch but dragged down by scandal, compromise and a poor final that left it below the 2022 and 2018 tournaments.
64 years of precedent were swept aside in the Balogun affair, he wrote, calling it a milestone in FIFA's willingness to bend rules for star power and revenue.
2030 now looms as a possible 64-team tournament, with Wilson arguing Gianni Infantino may seek to shore up support after criticism from British and some U.S. politicians.
Host-city costs extended beyond money, he said: U.S. and Canadian street sweeps displaced homeless people, while Mexico faced backlash over water extraction and environmental damage.
Ticketing, media access and fan treatment reinforced the broader verdict, with regular supporters priced out and FIFA portrayed as treating fans as revenue units rather than a mass movement.
With record profits but soaring costs for fans, has the World Cup permanently priced out the average supporter?
Beyond the final score, will the 2026 World Cup's legacy be defined by its human rights and environmental controversies?
As FIFA's influence rivals nations, who can hold the powerful football organization accountable for its actions?
The 2026 World Cup’s Mixed Legacy: High Profits, Political Tensions, and the Debate Over Expansion
Overview
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which ended with Spain's victory over Argentina at MetLife Stadium, left a mixed legacy. Despite its ambitious scale across three countries, the tournament was widely seen as 'good but not great,' with many analysts ranking it below the 2018 and 2022 editions. The final match was criticized as uninspiring and failed to match the excitement of earlier rounds. This sentiment reflects initial assessments that, while the event was a global spectacle, it ultimately did not deliver the thrilling climax or universal acclaim expected from the world’s biggest football tournament.