FIFA and Infantino tout success of expanded World Cup

FIFA is celebrating what it sees as the early success of the new-look World Cup, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches. Gianni Infantino has made no secret of his satisfaction on the day the final teams make their tournament debuts. The FIFA president has been quick to highlight what he views as the positive impact of the expanded format across the three host nations.

Tuesday produced a new attendance record for a single day at any World Cup. Four matches attracted a combined crowd of 281,223 fans, filling stadiums in New York, Boston, Kansas City and San Francisco. The schedule featured the tournament debuts of global stars such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, but FIFA points to the overall response from supporters as evidence of the competition’s popularity.

FIFA’s message leaves little room for doubt.

“June 16, 2026, will go down in FIFA World Cup history! I cannot thank our fans enough for bringing colour, atmosphere and emotions to this tournament. The most inclusive FIFA World Cup 2026 continues to show just how much our game is loved and how Football Unites The World!”

The statement was also a clear reference to FIFA’s controversial decision to expand the tournament from 32 to 48 teams.

The move to a larger field was not without criticism, but the early evidence suggests some of the nations many expected to be little more than spectators have proven highly competitive. Cape Verde’s draw against Spain is one of the clearest examples, with several underdogs already causing problems for more established soccer powers.

The final verdict on the format will come once the tournament concludes, but so far the expansion appears to be exceeding expectations. In the background, there are already discussions about CONMEBOL’s proposal to take the competition even further in future editions. For now, however, that debate remains on hold.

What are FIFA saying about the hydration breaks?

Another of the manufactured controversies surrounding the North American World Cup has been the hydration break. Introduced years ago and formally adopted after the pandemic for certain weather conditions (90°F/32°C or higher), conditions that apply to the vast majority of World Cup matches, FIFA’s goal has been to ensure that every game is played under the same conditions. That is the reasoning behind the three-minute stoppage, with all of the lost time meticulously added back on at the end of each half.

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