48-Team World Cup: Once Mocked for a Decade, Now Surprisingly Delightful

48-Team World Cup: Once Mocked, Now Embraced as Minnows Steal the Show

As the World Cup enters its second round, the hottest topics on social media worldwide are not entirely about Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe, or Haaland.

People are discussing the incredible saves and midlife resurgence of Cape Verde's 40-year-old veteran goalkeeper Vozinha; exploring how the Democratic Republic of Congo managed to snatch a point from Portugal; and applauding Curacao's nationwide celebration after securing their first-ever World Cup point.

A decade ago, when FIFA decided to expand the World Cup to 48 teams, skepticism nearly drowned out everything. No one expected that the expanded 48-team World Cup, since its debut, would see a complete reversal in public opinion—fears proved unfounded, and jokes turned into surprises.

Small teams are stealing the spotlight. A week into this World Cup, Reuters ran the headline "Underdogs make waves, giants begin to wobble," while the Associated Press was more direct: "People predicted expansion would bring a slew of one-sided matches, but the results tell a different story."

Cape Verde held Spain to a draw, and 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha saw his fan count skyrocket from 50,000 to over 5.5 million overnight. The Democratic Republic of Congo's draw with Portugal marked a historic moment for African football. Curacao earned their first-ever World Cup point, with players reluctant to leave the pitch for a long time.

The attendance figures also refute those who dismissed the expansion as "watering down the competition." As of last week, this World Cup has already surpassed 1.5 million live spectators, with an average attendance of over 65,000 per match, setting a new World Cup record.

Beyond adding 16 teams, the deeper change from expansion lies in the format. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the knockout stage. This means third place no longer automatically eliminates a team, keeping hope alive for more sides.

Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, once a critic, has become a proponent, bluntly stating that 48 teams is the right number.

The expanded World Cup has garnered considerable applause, but controversy persists. Supporters see more stories and possibilities, while opponents worry that the third-place advancement mechanism could lead to more conservative tactics and "point-calculating football."

Source: The Paper (澎湃新闻) — By Zhu Yi