Has the 48-Team World Cup Changed Football for Good?

The 2026 World Cup has sparked plenty of debate, but one thing has stood out to Marko, Mark, and Matteo: the gap between football’s traditional powerhouses and the rest of the world has never looked smaller. In this episode of A Semi-Informed Football Podcast, the trio explores how the expanded 48-team tournament has created more competitive matches, why nations once considered outsiders are now capable of pushing the game’s biggest teams, and whether the tournament has actually benefited from its new format. They also discuss the growing number of draws and whether they’re a sign of cautious tactics or simply evidence that international football has become more balanced than ever. The conversation then shifts beyond the World Cup and into the evolution of football itself. From the introduction of the back-pass rule and five substitutions to VAR and the expanded World Cup, the hosts debate which rule changes have genuinely improved the game and which still divide opinion. Finally, each host pitches one new rule they’d love to see introduced, leading to plenty of laughs, disagreements, and classic Semi-Informed banter. Whether you’re a football traditionalist or someone who embraces change, this episode asks one simple question: is modern football actually better than it’s ever been? To contact us reach out to [email protected] us on X at @SemiFooty