African Nations shines as questions loom over tournament format

As the biggest ever World Cup enters its knockout stages, football experts have gathered to assess the tournament so far, with African nations emerging as the standout success story while questions linger over the format's fairness and the potential for further expansion.

As the biggest ever World Cup enters its knockout stages, football experts have gathered to assess the tournament so far, with African nations emerging as the standout success story while questions linger over the format’s fairness and the potential for further expansion.

African football commentator Mark Gleeson highlighted the results of years of investment in the continent’s football development, noting that nine of Africa’s ten representatives have made it out of the group stage. The performance marks a historic high for the continent, which has long been seen as a sleeping giant in international football, and signals a shift in the global balance of power in the sport.

South American football expert Tim Vickery suggested that Africa’s rise could make life more difficult in the coming years for some South American nations, as the traditional powerhouses of the continent face stiffer competition for qualification spots and knockout berths. Vickery also questioned whether Asia deserves its allocation of places, given the region’s relative underperformance at the 2026 tournament, which could spark debate about how future World Cup slots are distributed.

Daniel Storey, chief football writer for the i Newspaper, raised concerns about the “lopsided nature” of the draw, with some teams knowing the result they needed ahead of their final group game, which he described as leading to unfairness. He also expressed skepticism about the prospect of expanding the tournament further to 64 teams, a proposal that has been floated by some officials. The 2026 edition already represents a significant expansion from previous tournaments, and there are growing concerns that further growth could dilute the quality of competition.

The podcast, More than the Score, brings listeners more than the men’s football World Cup the new teams, standout stars, and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. As the knockout stages get underway, the debate over the tournament’s format, fairness, and the shifting dynamics of global football is set to intensify, with African nations leading the charge in what could be a transformative World Cup.