[World Cup Retrospective ①] 48 Nations, 104 Matches: The World Cup Grew, But Football Shrank... A Tournament Marked More by Controversy Than by Great Matches

*This content was translated by AI.

The grand journey of the 2026 FIFA North America and the Caribbean World Cup concluded on the 20th (Korean time), 39 days after its opening last month. Various issues that had stirred excitement before the tournament, including the historic expansion to 48 participating nations, left clear bright and dark spots. Amid Europe's continued dominance, Asia, with nine participating teams, felt the high wall of world football. Superstars who took the stage for their final dance each put a period on their long journeys amid tears. StarNews looks back on the North America and the Caribbean World Cup journey through this retrospective. /Editor’s note

The 2026 FIFA North America and the Caribbean World Cup was the largest in history by scale. While thrilling matches and touching stories that moved football fans worldwide poured forth, equally notable were the various controversies that persisted throughout the tournament.

The North America and the Caribbean World Cup concluded on the 20th (Korean time) with Spain securing its second-ever title. In the final, Spain defeated Argentina, defended by "the God of Football" Lionel Messi, in a grueling extra-time battle, 1-0.

The tournament was held over 39 days across the co-host nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The number of participating teams increased from the previous 32 to 48, and the total number of matches rose from 64 to 104—an increase of 40 games. It was, quite literally, the largest World Cup ever.

The expansion of participating nations certainly yielded positive effects. Countries that had never before stepped onto the World Cup stage experienced a global festival, and more players were given opportunities to make their names known. In particular, Cape Verde, making its debut, created a fierce storm, leaving a strong impression on football fans worldwide.

However, criticism also emerged regarding increased disparities in team performance. With more teams of relatively lower strength participating, one-sided matches became more frequent. A representative example was Germany's 7-1 demolition of Curaçao in the group stage.

Early in the tournament, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin publicly criticized the 48th-nation format, stating that "there were far too many uninteresting matches."

There was also no escaping the assessment that the excessive increase in matches diminished the unique scarcity characteristic of the World Cup and heightened fan fatigue. Reuters noted, "This World Cup felt less like a month-long festival and more like a condensed football season compressed into just a few weeks."

At the center of another controversy was the "hydration break," a system requiring all matches to include an approximately three-minute mandatory rest period around the 22nd minute of both halves. FIFA explained this as a player protection measure considering the intense heat and high humidity in North America, but reactions from coaches, players, and fans were mixed.

Complaints arose that matches were effectively turned into four-quarter games due to scheduled interruptions. Critics pointed out not only that the flow of play was disrupted but also that each team received two additional tactical timeouts, which could influence match outcomes.

Criticism was also raised that this created a new commercial segment allowing advertisements during breaks. While FIFA drew a line by stating it was "a measure for player protection, not advertising," it was difficult to avoid the perception that separate advertising time had been inserted mid-match. Some predicted that due to the massive commercial benefits, FIFA would be unlikely to easily abandon this system in the future.

The large-scale halftime performance in the final also sparked intense controversy. While halftime in football matches is typically 15 minutes, this final saw performances by global stars including BTS, Madonna, Shakira, and Coldplay, extending the break to 27 minutes.

While there were positive reactions offering fans unique entertainment, concerns were raised that the excessively long break could affect match rhythm and players' physical condition.

In particular, criticism arose regarding the production style reminiscent of the NFL's Super Bowl, with accusations that the World Cup was being transformed into an American-style sports event.

This tournament not only featured a halftime performance but also marked the first time in World Cup history that winning teams were awarded "champion rings." Champion rings have long been established as tradition in the four major professional sports leagues representing the United States and Canada: the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL. However, introducing them into a FIFA-organized football tournament was unprecedented.

FIFA produced a total of 2,026 rings. Of these, 30 were allocated to the winning team's squad, while the remaining 1,996 were to be sold to fans worldwide. The price was reported at $150,000 per ring, approximately 230 million won in Hanwha currency.

UK outlet TalkSport pointed out that "FIFA's sale of championship rings could be seen as another attempt to generate revenue in a World Cup already criticized for being overly commercialized."

Ticket prices skyrocketed, presenting clear contrasts. The initial price for group stage tickets was set at $575 (approximately 900,000 won). This was more than double the highest-priced group stage ticket sold during the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Nevertheless, tickets sold out rapidly. According to Reuters, more than half of the 72nd group stage matches were completely sold out, and most remaining matches had only a few hundred empty seats left. FIFA announced that approximately 99.7% of available seats in the group stage were filled.

For the first time, this tournament introduced "dynamic pricing," where prices fluctuate based on real-time demand and various conditions.

As a result, the average resale price for tickets to the Spain-Argentina final exceeded $11,000 (approximately 16.3 million won). SeatGeek, a U.S. ticket trading platform, explained that this was "the highest level among sports events traded on their platform" and noted it was "8% more expensive than the 2024 Super Bowl."

While successful in terms of attendance and revenue, strong criticism arose that the World Cup had become an event only for the wealthy. Reuters reported, "Human rights experts pointed out that this tournament remained inaccessible to too many fans."

Ronan Evain, Secretary General of the European Football Supporters' Association, defined this tournament as a "World Cup for the 'happy few.'"

He raised his voice, stating, "Only those with sufficient purchasing power to travel to the United States, like fans from Norway and Scotland, who are free from entry visa issues and can afford absurdly high ticket prices, were able to enjoy the."

Reuters noted that "this tournament, like all World Cups before it, created powerful moments that endured despite new heroes, fallen favorites, national wounds, and numerous controversies surrounding the event," but also expressed concern that "the most lasting legacy may not be a specific match or winning team. There is a high possibility that precedents were set at this North America and the Caribbean World Cup."

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*This content was translated by AI.