'Expanded World Cup won't add major burden on players', says Paul Masefield
New Delhi, June 16
Former English footballer and commentator Paul Masefield does not believe the expanded format of the 2026 World Cup will place a significant additional burden on players, saying FIFA and continental confederations are already working on scheduling solutions to manage the increased number of qualification matches.
With the 48-team World Cup creating more opportunities for nations to qualify, concerns have been raised about an increasingly congested football calendar and the growing demands placed on players balancing club and international commitments. However, Masefield feels the sport's governing bodies are adapting to the challenge.
"Every team will want to get a chance at the FIFA World Cup. It will," Masefield told IANS when asked whether the expanded tournament could intensify concerns over player workload and the club-versus-country debate.
Paul, who is part of the expert panel for ZEE5's coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026, pointed out that qualification structures are being redesigned to accommodate the larger competition without significantly increasing the burden on players.
"But what I think they're doing is revamping scheduling, and they're changing the sort of schedules of what they're going to do for future qualifications so that they can play more games in a shorter space of time. That's one thing," he said.
Masefield believes most regions are already well-equipped to handle the expanded qualification process and does not foresee major issues across Asia, Africa, or the Americas.
"I don't think that there's an issue when it comes to Asia because of the amount of time that they do start the qualifications for the next World Cup. So, it's not going to affect them. I don't think it will affect Africa. I don't think it will affect North or South America," he added.
According to Masefield, Europe is the only confederation where fixture congestion could become a concern, but discussions are already underway to reduce the load on players.
"I think the only thing it can affect is Europe, and I think that what Europe are trying to do now and what the talk is, is that they're going to be having a pre-qualifying competition for the lesser nations, which takes less of a burden off the players playing to qualify for the World Cup."
He added that the proposed changes are part of FIFA's wider plan to make the World Cup more inclusive while ensuring the qualification process remains sustainable. "So, again, that's all down, and it's all part of FIFA's strategy of what they want to do and how they want to involve everybody moving forward," he concluded.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I appreciate Masefield's optimism, but let's be real - players are already exhausted from the packed calendar. The Premier League, Champions League, and now more international games? Clubs in India's ISL also struggle with player fatigue when international breaks come around. FIFA is just expanding to make more money, not because they care about inclusivity. The scheduling "revamp" sounds like corporate talk, not a real solution.
Finally, a World Cup that gives smaller nations a proper shot! As someone who follows African and Asian football closely, I've seen how the current qualifying system crushes dreams. India, China, and many others deserve a realistic pathway. Masefield's right that Asia's early qualification start helps - our fans wait years for these matches. The key is balance: keep the quality high while expanding access. Hope FIFA delivers on the scheduling promises.
Respectfully disagree with Masefield. More teams doesn't automatically mean better football. The 2026 tournament could dilute quality with mismatches like 7-0 scorelines that nobody enjoys. And for Indian players in leagues like ISL or I-League, extra international dates mean less domestic matches and fan engagement. The romance of qualifying should be hard - that's what makes it special. Expanding just for the sake of "inclusivity" might backfire.
As a women's football fan, I wish more attention was on expanding opportunities for our game too. That said, Masefield makes a good point about scheduling - the AFC's early qualification is already tough for teams like India who struggle to balance club and country. If FIFA can streamline the process, maybe we'll see shock qualifiers like Vietnam or Malaysia in 2026! Exciting times for football in Asia. 😊
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.