World Cup like no other: 48 nations clash in expanded format

On January 27, 2017 the Fifa Council unanimously resolved to expand the World Cup to a 48-team competition starting with the 2026 edition.

Three months later on April 10, USA, Canada and Mexico officially announced a joint bid to host the tournament. Morocco announced their bid on August 11.

Initially, the US, Canada and Mexico talked of plans to field individual bids but later joined forces for their “United As One” proposal, not dissimilar to the joint Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania “Pamoja” bid for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The following year, on June 13, 2018, Fifa announced the North American joint bid had won the right to stage the expanded 2026 World Cup following a vote of 134 against 65 for Morocco.

For the first time in history, the world’s biggest single sports event would be hosted jointly by three countries.

And so, 48 teams would play 104 matches in 16 host cities across the continent.

All confederations got extra slots compared to when the tournament was a 32-team affair.

Africa, previously with five representatives, was guaranteed nine spots and had the chance of getting an additional slot via an inter-continental play-off

Fifa proudly billed this as the biggest World Cup and most inclusive ever.

At its congress in Vancouver, Canada, on April 30 the world football governing body underscored how the tournament would bring together people from across the globe in a spirit of harmony and respect while reiterating its commitment to eradicating racism from the game.  

“It is my responsibility; it is our responsibility. Football unites the world. Fifa unites the world. You unite the world. We unite the world. And we have to remember, always, that we have to be positive. We have to be smiling; we have to be happy. There are enough problems around the world. There are enough people who try to divide all over the world. If nobody tries to unite, what will happen to our world? We have to do it,” Fifa president told an attentive hall at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

But the tournament's billing of the “biggest” and “most inclusive” has faced several controversies in the run-up to the big kick-off today.

USA’s immigration policy has seen many undocumented people detained and deported. An aggressive policy by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain people on the streets over suspicion of being in the country illegally has not been the best of optics for potential visitors.

Stories of fans, journalists and even players being denied a US visa have not been uncommon.

Morroco World News reported Azzedine Al Attraoui, the Moroccan National Team Supporters Association President, pleading with Fifa to intervene following US visa denials to hundreds of their members who want to support the Atlas Lions.

It is worth noting that the US has imposed visa restrictions on 27 African countries, including World Cup nations Algeria, Senegal, DR Congo, Morocco, Cabo Verde, Egypt and Tunisia.

From May, the US Embassies in Juba, South Sudan, Kinshasa, DR Congo and Kampala, Uganda temporarily paused all visa services while anybody travelling from the three countries was prohibited from travelling to America because of the Ebola outbreak

The Association Press reported on June 2 how Switzerland flew to the USA without their striker Breel Embolo who was stopped from boarding the flight after his Esta authorization was blocked.

The most famous visa denial thus far is that of Omar Artan, one of the 52 Fifa referees at this World Cup. The 2025 CAF Referee of the Year was stopped from entering the USA at Miami International Airport and had to fly back home.

Fifa later removed his name from the referee’s list.

Iran have been forced to pitch camp in Tijuana, Mexico, because of their ongoing conflict with the USA and Israel.  Several members of the Iranian entourage have been denied US visas. The Iranian team will now travel from Mexico to the US venue for their matches before returning to Mexico on the same day.

Meanwhile, Iran's football federation said on Tuesday its ticket allocation had been pulled just days before the World Cup starts, leaving supporters who had already made travel plans in limbo.

Ticket pricing has also stirred controversy. Despite Fifa saying that demand for the 7 million tickets they expect to sell was huge, fans worldwide complained about the pricing. Tickets are retailing for between $60 (Sh7,771) to $6,000 (Sh777,100).

Visiting fans will also have to contend with hiked public transport costs.

For instance, following an uproar last month, the New Jersey Transit reduced a return fare to the MetLife Stadium, where some World Cup matches will be held, to $98 (Sh12,681), still a massive increase compared to the normal fare of $10 (Sh1,294).

Similarly, shuttle bus rides to the stadium were reduced to $20 from the originally announced fee of $80.

In Boston, round-trip rail tickets from the city center to the stadium will cost $80. The normal price is $20 to $30. A bus ride will be $95.

Many fans on social media have wondered why one should bother to travel to the USA where 78 matches will be played.

But as with all World Cups, when the action begins, the fever catches on and the world eats, sleeps and breathes football.

Forty-eight nations fighting for the right to be called world champions for the next four years.

Two-time champions France and Kylian Mbappe and 2010 champions Spain and Lamine Yamal are the tournament's co-favourites. But defending champions Argentina with aging superstar Lionel Messi, Harry Kane’s England and record five-time champions Brazil will want to have a say. Germany is lurking somewhere.

Cristiano Ronald craves a perfect swan song with Portugal; the world’s best striker Erling Haaland with Norway, could go places; 2022 semi-finalists Morocco may still have their mojo, plus a plethora of other dreamers chasing glory. It could well turn out to be the best World Cup ever.