Queiroz declares war on FIFA's biggest World Cup revolution

Carlos Queiroz is no fan of FIFA's expanded 48-team World Cup.

Ironically, Ghana are among the biggest beneficiaries of the new format. The Black Stars booked their place in the Round of 32 after beating Panama and earning a valuable draw against England, progressing as one of the tournament's best third-placed teams. Yet even that achievement has done little to change Queiroz's opinion.

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Speaking after Ghana's 2-1 defeat to Croatia in Philadelphia, the 73-year-old delivered a passionate defence of what he believes the World Cup should represent.

"I believe that value comes when things are rare," Queiroz said.

"The number of teams that can qualify for this competition can turn it into something vulgar and ordinary. When so many teams can qualify, is the value still rare? That would seem debatable to me, but it is only my opinion."

The expanded format, introduced at this World Cup after FIFA approved the change back in 2017, has divided opinion across the football world. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has consistently defended the decision, arguing that it opens football's biggest stage to more nations and millions of additional supporters. Critics, however, have long argued that the move was driven more by commercial interests than sporting merit.

Queiroz clearly belongs in the latter camp.

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Having guided Portugal to the 2010 World Cup, Iran to the next three editions, South Africa to the 2002 tournament and now Ghana in 2026, he has witnessed first-hand how difficult World Cup qualification used to be.

"The real success now in South America would be in not qualifying," he remarked, pointing to the fact that six of the continent's ten nations now qualify automatically, while the seventh still gets another chance through the intercontinental play-offs.

"Who did not qualify in Europe? The qualification tournaments start to lose their significance if everyone qualifies. Qualification should be serious, it should be very tough, very competitive."

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For Queiroz, the World Cup has always been football's most exclusive club - something that should be earned, never simply reached.

"The World Cup should be something with meaning and significance. It should be rare. But, as you know, today money talks in the game."

"Where we used to talk about football, it is now moneyball."

The Portuguese coach's words carry additional weight given his remarkable results. Since taking charge of Ghana in April, he has become only the second manager, after Bora Milutinovic to appear at five consecutive men's World Cups, adding another chapter to one of international football's most remarkable coaching careers.

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Still, philosophy will soon have to give way to football.

Ghana's reward for surviving the group stage is a Round of 32 showdown with Colombia in Kansas City, where Queiroz believes the tournament truly begins.

"I have just told my players that the real World Championship starts in the next round," he said.

"The group stage is the warm-up. Qualification for the next round is like a credit card - now you have to start paying. Everything goes to the winner. Every game is drama, nobody can hide. That starts next game."

WORLD CUP - KNOCKOUT STAGE

Round of 32

Sunday

22.00: (5.80) S.Africa (3.70) Canada (1.73)

Monday

20.00: (1.73) Brazil (3.60) Japan (5.20)

23.30: (1.40) Germany (4.60) Paraguay (8.00)

Tuesday

04.00: (2.20) Netherlands (3.15) Morocco (3.75)

20.00: (3.50) Ivory Coast (3.55) Norway (2.10)

00.00: (1.30) France (5.80) Sweden (9.00)

Wednesday

04.00: (2.25) Mexico (2.95) Ecuador (3.85)

19.00: (1.30) England (5.20) Dr Congo (11.0)

23.00: (2.15) Belgium (3.25) Senegal (3.75)

Thursday

03.00: (1.43) USA (4.60) B&H (8.50)

22.00: (1.32) Spain (5.25) Austria (10.0)

Friday

02.00: (1.95) Portugal (3.40) Croatia (4.10)

06.00: (1.95) Switzerland (3.45) Algeria (4.00)

21.00: (3.15) Australia (2.95) Egypt (2.55)

Saturday

01.00: (1.17) Argentina (7.50) Cape Verde (16.0)

04.30: (1.70) Colombia (3.60) Ghana (5.50)

***odds are subject to change***